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accident

Car in the creek near Sandpit Road, Alexander

By Howard B. Owens

A vehicle has gone off the road and into the creek somewhere off of Stroh Road and Sandpit Road in Alexander.

The driver called a fire chief who notified dispatchers.

The car is in the water. The driver may have passed out. He isn't sure of his exact location.

Alexander fire is dispatched.

UPDATE 1:17 p.m.: The driver tells the chief he's blowing his horn. He isn't visible from the roadway. The chief has not spotted where he might have gone in. Dispatchers are going to try and ping his phone to determine his location.

UPDATE 1:19 p.m.: The vehicle has been located at Genesee Street and Maplewood.

UPDATE 1:21 p.m.: The driver is out of the vehicle. Tow truck requested to the scene. The vehicle is in the water.

UPDATE 1:23 p.m.: A deputy says the tow truck needs to expedite. It's fast-moving water and the car is being pulled deeper in. It's about six feet into the water now.

UPDATE(S) (By Billie) 1:49 p.m.: The male driver had a medical emergency and an Alexander ambulance took him to UMMC for evaluation. The tow truck is working to remove the vehicle from the water-filled culvert.

UPDATE 3:12 p.m.: Marshall Merle, chief of the Alexander Fire Department, said the victim in this incident is his boss who called his job site to reach him -- since he knew he was a volunteer fireman -- when he came to after blacking out and found he had crashed into a culvert with swiftly flowing water. The man was unsure of his location. Merle contacted the Emergency Dispatch Center, and tones went out for Alexander to respond. "We were running around trying to find him -- it took awhile," the chief said, adding the he did not know how long the victim had been unconscious before he came to and found himself in a predicament. There were no brake marks, Merle said, "he just went right off the road into the water." Firefighter Jeff Fluker finally located the man, who by that time had gotten out of his vehicle, which was quickly filling with water, and scrambled onto its roof. Getting him to safe ground was not too difficult. They used a ladder that he climbed across. Safety was the biggest concern. "We didn't want to get anybody in the water," Merle said. "A car's not worth somebody's life. We can go back for the car. Safety of our guys is the primary concern." Merle added that "normally this crick isn't running like it is now." They had to act quickly in the rescue before the vehicle drifted into the larger "crick."

Driver accused of leaving disabled passenger at scene of accident in June

By Howard B. Owens

     Nicole Sullivan

A 31-year-old resident of Wyoming has been arrested and accused making up information about a car-tree accident at 2:35 a.m., June 10, on Fargo Road, Stafford, where a disabled passenger was seriously injured.

Nicole Kimberly Sullivan, 31, of North Main Street, Wyoming, is charged with assault, 2nd, endangering the welfare of an incompetent or physically disabled person, falsely reporting an incident, and operator leaving the scene of an accident with injuries. 

Sheriff's Office investigators say that following the accident, Sullivan was the actual driver of the vehicle, even though she initially told responders that the driver had left the scene. Firefighters and deputies then conducted an extensive search of the area for the possible driver, both to locate the driver and out of concern that the driver could be injured.

Later that morning, Sullivan admitted to deputies that she was the driver of the vehicle.

The passenger, Zachery W. Schwarts, 20, was transported by Mercy Flight to Strong Memorial Hospital.

Investigator Joseph Graff and Deputy Eric Meyer, who assisted in the investigation, assert that Sullivan failed to report the accident as soon as she was physically able to do so and that she failed to make timely notification of the need for medical assistance for the injured passenger.

Sullivan was also issued citations for driving left of pavement markings, unlicensed operator, aggravated unlicensed operation, 3rd, failure to notify DMV of address change, no seat belt, and unregistered motor vehicle.

Also assisting in the investigation, Sgt. John Baiocco.

Top Photo: File photo.

Accident reported on the eastbound Thruway

By Billie Owens

A motor-vehicle accident, with one person "possibly injured," is reported on the eastbound Thruway at mile marker 402.5. A car struck a wall. It is blocking both lanes of traffic on top of the Route 5 overpass bridge of the Thruway. Pembroke and Indian Falls fire departments are responding along with Mercy medics.

UPDATE 4:18 a.m.: A male is out and walking around. His vehicle has heavy front-end damage and there was air-bag deployment. State troopers are responding.

UPDATE 4:24 a.m.: "We're being told the driver left the scene," says a first responder. About 200 feet of the guard rail on top of the bridge is down and the Thruway Authority is being notified of this. The left (inside) lane of traffic is flowing smoothly, but the other lane remains blocked.

UPDATE 4:44 a.m.: The male at the scene has minor injuries and is being transported to UMMC. The Pembroke and Indian Falls assignment is back in service.

Two-car collision reported on Swamp Road in Byron

By Billie Owens

A two-car accident, unknown injuries, is reported in the area of 6581 Swamp Road, Byron. Byron and South Byron fire departments are responding along with Mercy medics.

Two minor injuries in accident at Main and Jefferson

By Howard B. Owens

Two people suffered minor injuries in an accident just before 7 p.m. at Main Street and Jefferson Avenue, Batavia.

City fire, Batavia PD and Mercy EMS responded.

No further information available at this time.

Accident involving truck and car reported on Route 20, Bethany

By Howard B. Owens

An accident involving a semi-truck and car is reported in the area of 5901 Route 20, Bethany.

No word on injuries.

There's heavy front-end damage is reported to a vehicle. The tractor-trailer went down a culvert and is in water. It's 80,000 pounds loaded. A heavy wrecker will be needed.

Bethany fire and Mercy EMS responding.

UPDATE(S) (By Billie) 12:34 p.m.: This accident involved a tractor-trailer and farm equipment. According to a deputy at the scene, two tractor-trailers were eastbound on Route 20 and nearing a hill. The tractor-trailer that was behind the foremost one decided to pass at the hill. After doing so, the trucker came upon a tractor that was towing a manure spreader. The farm tractor had just made a left-hand turn into the driveway of a farm but the manure spreader was still in the roadway when the passing tractor-trailer clipped the rear of the manure spreader, tearing off the spreader's rear axel. The tractor-trailer continued off the north shoulder of the roadway into a guard rail and down a deep culvert into a creek filled with water. The trucker suffered a big bump on his forehead. The deputy said citations will be issued. They have a lot of manure to clean up on Route 20 as a result of the accident.

UPDATE 12:52 p.m.: The Bethany assignment is back in service.

Gray sedan knocks over one of many motorcycles parked at Log Cabin Restaurant

By Billie Owens

A hit-and-run accident is reported at the Log Cabin Restaurant, located at 1227 Gilmore Road, Indian Falls. A gray sedan with a handicapped sticker reportedly knocked over a motorcycle and left the scene of the non-injury, property damage accident. "There's a lot of motorcycles there," says a deputy at the scene.

UPDATE 4:49 p.m.: A deputy: "The other party decided to show back up. Out doing a report at the Log Cabin."

Rollover accident reported on Route 77, Darien

By Billie Owens

A rollover accident with entrapment is reported at 10391 Alleghany Road (Route 77). Darien Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding. A Sheriff's deputy is on location. Mercy Flight in on ground standby.

UPDATE 3:31 p.m.: The male driver had a medical issue, and the van he was driving left the roadway and went into a culvert and hit a berm and it landed on its wheels on the other side of the culvert. The driver suffered minor facial injuries due to air-bag deployment and he was taken by ambulance to a hospital. The van does not appear to be seriously damaged.

Rollover accident with minor injuries reported in Elba

By Billie Owens

A one-vehicle rollover accident is reported at 7499 Oak Orchard Road, Elba. There are minor injuries, but the occupants are out of the vehicle. A utility pole is damaged and power lines are down on the vehicle. Elba Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding. Fire police are called the shut down a portion of the roadway because of the tangle of power lines. National Grid is notified.

Wet roads and some accidents this morning

By Howard B. Owens

There was a spate of property damage accidents around the county this morning, including this overturned truck on Route 77 north of the Village of Corfu.

There was also a three-vehicle accident that included an ARC bus at Lewiston and Batavia Oakfield Townline roads. Again, no injuries.

Reader submitted photo.

Serious injury accident reported at Route 98 and Stroh Road, Alexander

By Billie Owens

A serious injury accident is reported at the intersection of Route 98 and Stroh Road. Alexander Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding. The accident is blocking traffic. Mercy Flight is unable to fly south of the City of Batavia due to weather conditions. A door of a vehicle may need to be forced open to extricate a victim.

UPDATE 2:52 p.m.: This was not a serious injury accident. It was a rear-ender, and one of the vehicles has been removed. There is one person complaining of head pain who is being evaluated by medics at the scene. A determination about whether to transport the person is pending.

UPDATE 2:55 p.m.: The roadway remains closed but is expected to reopen momentarily.

Accident with entrapment reported in Pembroke

By Howard B. Owens

An accident with a possible injury and entrapment is reported on Main Road east of  Lake Road, Pembroke.

Pembroke fire, Indian Falls fire, and Mercy EMS dispatched.

UPDATE 3:11 p.m.: A witness in the area said no entrapment.  Patients were sign offs.

Accident with injuries reported on East Main Street, Batavia

By Howard B. Owens

An accident with injuries is reported in the area of 430 E. Main St., Batavia.

A person is reportedly in and out of consciousness.

Fluids have spilled.

City fire and Mercy EMS responding.

UPDATE 10:20 a.m.: Four vehicles involved. An eastbound SUV drifted out of its lane of travel toward the south sidewalk, sideswiped a parked car, clipping its left rearview mirror, then plowed into the back of a parked SUV, pushing that vehicle into a parked sedan ahead of it. The driver may have suffered a medical issue. He was transported to UMMC.

Two-car accident with injuries reported on Oak Street

By Billie Owens

A two-car accident with injuries is reported at 142 Oak St. One of the vehicles struck a house. City fire and Mercy medics are responding. A first responder on scene says an older male has a severe head laceration.

UPDATE 6:38 p.m.: A middle-aged male was driving a Chevy Trailblazer southbound on Oak Street and crossed the center line; he may have fallen asleep. The driver of a white sedan northbound on Oak Street was unable to avoid the collision and the sedan was struck; there was air-bag deployment. The Trailblazer narrowly missed a tree in the front yard where it ended up crashing into the concrete porch of a house; the house appears undamaged. The driver of the Trailblazer has a cut above his eye but is conscious and alert and being transported to a hospital. The driver of the white sedan declined medical attention.

Tractor-trailer rollover accident reported in Darien

By Billie Owens

A tractor-trailer rollover accident is reported at 2061 Broadway Road, Darien. The big rig also struck an unoccupied parked car.

"We'll need the rescue, then an ambulance. The patient's going to be able to get himself out; he's just looking for some paperwork right now," says a first responder at the scene.

Darien Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding.

The location is between Attica and Smithley roads. "Unknown if fluids are leaking," says the dispatcher. 

Law enforcement is on scene. "A pole is hit, but it doesn't appear to be damaged," says a first responder. National Grid will be called.

UPDATE 5:27 a.m.: A heavy wrecker will be called for the trailer, which is on its side against a utility pole, and another tow for the front cab.

UPDATE 6:01 a.m.: The trucker claims he swerved to avoid a moose. The tractor-trailer then slid along a guard rail and landed in the front yard of a residence, crushing the front end of a parked Jeep. A woman who was sitting in her living room at the time said it sounded like a truck dragging a car down the road, then went boom. The big rig wound up only a few feet away from where she was sitting. It was carrying a light load -- shoes.

Car hits pedestrian at State Street and Alva Place, Batavia

By Howard B. Owens

A car has reportedly struck a pedestrian at the intersection of State Street and Alva Place, Batavia.

City fire and Mercy EMS responding.

The location is by Washington Towers, behind JCPenney.

UPDATE 3:54 p.m.: A pedestrian was struck by a car making a left-hand turn, but the person does not appear to be injured. Mercy medics are transporting the pedestrian to Strong Memorial Hospital for evaluation.

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