A 28-year-old driver from Rochester is suspected of running a stop sign on eastbound Lockport Road where it intersects with Route 98 in Elba, causing a two-car crash that led to serious injuries for his female passenger.
Nikitha Ganeshmurthy, 27, of Edison, N.J., is listed in stable condition at Strong Memorial Hospital after being transported there by Mercy Flight following the crash, reported at 6:17 p.m.
Tickets were issued to the driver of the car she was in, a 2017 Subaru WRX, Ashwin Mallikarjunaswamy, 28. Mallikarjunaswamy was cited for alleged failure to stop at a stop sign and failure to yield right of way.
The couple was in route to Niagara Falls, according to Sgt. Andrew Hale.
The intersection is a frequent accident location with westbound cars often missing the stop sign at Lockport Road.
"It tends to be people from out of town who tend to miss that stop," Hale said.
Mallikarjunaswamy's sedan was struck on the passenger side by a 2009 Chevy Silverado driven by Edward M. Buczek, 65, of Elba.
Buczek suffered minor injuries and self-extricated from his pickup truck.
Investigators do not believe either driver was under the influence of either alcohol or drugs.
Mallikarjunaswamy suffered minor injuries as well.
The crash investigation is being handled by Sgt. Andrew Hale, Sgt. James Deihl, Investigator Christopher Parker, Deputy Kyle Krzemien, Deputy Mathew Clor, Deputy Erik Andre, Deputy Brock Cummins, and Deputy Jordan Alejandro. Assisting at the scene were volunteers from the Elba Fire Department, Barre Fire Department and personnel from Mercy EMS and National Grid.
