accident

There are reportedly "several" cars off the road along Route 98 in the area of Alexander.

One of the vehicles reportedly struck the gas line of a house at 10738 Alexander Road, and Alexander Fire is responding.

There are also reports of vehicles off the road and other property-damage accidents around the county.

UPDATE 5:22 p.m.: A law enforcement officer on scene just requested that County Highway snow crews get out to Route 98 quickly. He said the road is very slippery.

UPDATE 6:04 p.m.: A car struck a pole at Edwards and Buell streets and left the scene. City Fire is being dispatched because the pole is broken.

UPDATE 6:06 p.m.: Police officer responding to accident above: "He's going to have substantial front-end damage. He struck the pole right between the headlights." The officer is proceeding to a parking lot to check out a specific vehicle.

UPDATE 6:14 p.m.: Police are still searching for the car that struck the pole.

The State Trooper injured in an auto accident on the Thurway in Pembroke on Saturday has been identified as Nina Johnson.

Johnson, who was taken via Mercy Flight to ECMC, was released from the hospital Saturday evening.

The Trooper was involved in traffic control following a fatal accident on the Thurway just hours prior.

Her patrol vehicle was reportedly struck by an SUV driven by Catherine A. Manahan, 27, of Williamsville.

That accident took the life of Julie I. Stratton, 33, of Synder, whose car became disabled in the fast lane after striking a deer. A tractor-trailer then ran into her car. She was pronounced dead at the scene. According to the Buffalo News, state police have yet to decide whether to file charges against the truck driver, Thomas M. Wallace, 45, of Brook Park, Ohio.

“We’re still investigating it to see if there was some distracted driving involved,” Harris said. “We’re looking at why [Wallace] didn’t perceive the vehicle in front of him.”

State police noted that other drivers were able to avoid hitting Stratton’s disabled car in the minutes before the crash.

Stratton was married and had two sons, ages 1 and 3.

There's a two-car accident with injuries reported at Alleghany and Ledge roads in Alabama. Air bags were deployed. Alabama Fire Dept. and Mercy EMS are handling the call.

One driver apparently rear-ended another in a non-injury accident Sunday just after midnight.

Robert T. Long, 36, of 10 South St., Le Roy, was headed south on Route 19 when he slowed at West Bergen Road. Steven C. Kazmierczak, 25, of 61 Myrtle St., Apt. D2, Le Roy, was also southbound. Kazmierczak's car allegedly struck Long's from behind.

Kazmierczak was issued tickets for allegedly following too close, DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Kazmierczak was also cited for allegedly leaving the scene of a property-damage accident.

A driver was killed in a late morning accident on the Thruway. She has been identified as Julie Stratton, 33, of Synder.

Stratton was reportedly in the westbound lane when her car struck a deer, causing her car to become disabled in the passing lane. Her car was then hit by a semi-truck.

The truck driver, Thomas M. Wallace, 45, of Brook Park, Ohio, was taken to UMMC by Mercy EMS and treated for minor injuries.

The westbound lane of the Thruway was closed for a 4.5 hours because of the accident, and reportedly a State Trooper at the scene was injured in an accident this afternoon. The State Police have not yet released information on that accident.

Initial Report.

A car has reportedly struck a tree at 9710 S. Street Road in Pavilion.

The caller reports "there are parts everywhere."

Mercy Flight is being canceled after dispatch learned that the accident victim is inside the house at the location and appears to have minor injuries.

Emergency responders are reporting icy road conditions in the area.

A pedestrian on the Thruway has apparently been struck by a car.

It's unknown if the injuries are serious. Dispatcher says, "conflicting reports."

The pedestrian may have  been directing traffic in an eastbound lane.

Pembroke and Indian Falls and Mercy EMS responding.

UPDATE 1:57 p.m.: A State Trooper has been struck. No word yet on injuries.

UPDATE 1:58 p.m.: Mercy Flight is being dispatched.

UPDATE 2:07 p.m.: A second ambulance has been requested to treat the driver of the car. Mercy Flight has a five minute ETA.

UPDATE 2:09 p.m.: Mercy Flight now less than two minute ETA.

UPDATE 2:24 p.m.: Mercy Flight is in the air with patient.

UPDATE 2:31 p.m.: Chatter on the scanner indicating the Trooper had multiple injuries but transported via Mercy Flight primarily as a precaution, and was in a parked patrol car (not a pedestrian) at the time of the accident.

A car and semi-truck have collided on the bridge over the Thruway at the Pembroke exit.

The car is reportedly heavily damaged and  extrication is required.

Indian Falls, Pembroke and East Pembroke fire and Mercy EMS are responding.

UPDATE 11:34 a.m.: There is one injury and it is reported as serious.

UPDATE 11:36 a.m.: East Pembroke's response has been canceled. "On extrication, we're all set," said the Chief responding. Mercy Flight was cancelled.

An apparent drunken driver hit a snow plow in the area of Kelsey Road.  Crews tried to keep him in the area, but he successfully negotiated a three-point turn and fled on Pratt Road toward Route 5.

Witnesses did provide dispatch with a plate number.

The number comes back to a Kelsey Road resident with a suspended driver's license.

Emergency crews responded to a report of a rollover accident on the Thruway and when they got there, there was nobody in the car and nobody around, but the car was on its roof.

Meanwhile, a semi-truck on Route 33 is reportedly "driving people" off the road. He happens to be heading toward a roadblock set up earlier this evening because of a jack-knifed truck near Seven Springs Road.

Also, inmate trustees are clearing Porter Road so law enforcement has access to the jail.

There continue to be reports of accidents, cars and trucks stuck in various locations.

UPDATE 6:08 p.m.: Route 33 is open.

UPDATE 6:13: Route 19 is open.

There's a motor-vehicle accident with injuries on the Thruway in the westbound lane about a half-mile from the Batavia exit (mile marker 389 and a half, east of the Route 48 interchange). Emergency crews are responding.

Reader Dan Jones unfortunately is driving on the Thruway and called to say: "Tell your readers to stay the hell off the road."

Also, there's a car off the road at Pearl and Lover's Lane.

And intermittant power outages are wreaking havor with some communications, including being able to book people at the jail.

You know it's bad weather when a responder tells dispatch: "I think I'm on location."

UPDATE (by Howard): Picture above sent in from Dan Jones depicting the white out conditions on the Thruway.

The accident scene at Ellicott Street and Main has been cleared and the roadway has reopened to traffic.

In the words of the dispatcher, "Cedar Street. The usual -- semi, bridge, ripped open."

Ellicott Street between Main and Court is closed in both directions until further notice following a one-vehicle accident.

A Jeep SUV damaged a telephone poll and now National Grid crews are trying to figure out how to keep the poll standing, or the wires from coming down, when the car is removed.

Lt. Eugene Jankowski said Ellicott could be closed for hours while the National Grid makes repairs.

The driver, who has not yet been identified, was taken to Strong Memorial Hospital with unknown injuries.

The accident occurred about 8:30 a.m.

Jankowski said police are asking that drivers plan on avoiding the area and not try to evade the barricades.

UPDATE: The driver has been identified as 41-year-old Julie Conover of Batavia.

A driver reports striking a pole on Buckley Road in area of Prentice Road in Stafford and complains of a head injury.

Stafford Fire and Mercy EMS have been dispatched.

UPDATE 7:44 a.m.: Pole is down. Wires are down.

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An accident on Route 33 in the area of West Bergen Road has been reported.

There is a report of injuries and smoke coming from one of the vehicles.

Traffic on Route 33 is blocked.

Bergen Fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

UPDATE 7:34 a.m.: Reported apparent minor injuries.

Elba Fire and Mercy EMS are responding to a report of a car hitting a pole at 5353 Ford Road.

UPDATE 7:28 a.m.: Wires were pulled from the adjacent house. The home owner has turned off his electricity and National Grid is being dispatched.

UPDATE 7:31 a.m.: Border Patrol has also been requested to the scene.  Also, traffic is now clear.

UPDATE 7:33 a.m.: Elba Fire requested to return to scene because of smell of electrical burning in the house.

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A Rochester man faces nearly half a dozen charges stemming from a single-car auto accident in Le Roy on Saturday morning.

Carlos Alberto Mateo, 30, of 27 Potomac St., Rochester, is accused of criminal trespass and fleeing the scene of an accident, as well as aggravated unlicensed operation, driving without a license and operating a vehicle without seat belts.

Mateo is suspected of driving his car into a telephone pole on Route 5 near York Road in the Town of Le Roy and then running from the scene. He was reportedly found hiding in a garage of a residence on York Road.

He was jailed on $2,500 bail.

(Photo courtesy Lorie Longhany -- original post)

A Medina teenager who died in a car crash over the weekend was a student at Images of Dance in Batavia, according to the Democrat and Chronicle.

Jenna Pratt, 17, is described in the article as somebody who took on all challenges and dance was “kind of her release,” said her father, John Pratt III.

Pratt was killed in a single-car accident in Shelby. Investigators have yet to determine the cause of the crash. Her boyfriend, who was driving, Joshua J. Stockwell, 18, of Medina, was not injured.

Reader Lorie Longhany e-mailed in this picture of a car that hit a utility pole in Le Roy. We have no further details on the accident at this time.