little canada

From Timothy J. Hens, P.E., superintendent, Genesee County Highway Department:

More oil and stone work will be done next week on East Road (Route 63 to the county line), East Bethany-Le Roy Road, and Fargo Road (Route 5 to Route 63).

Please drive slowly to avoid kicking up stone. It's a temporary inconvenience, but it's a necessary evil for road maintenance. Biggest bang for the buck by far.

Signs are up in advance of these areas including sides roads.

A tractor-trailer is reportedly jackknifed in the roadway at Fargo and Little Canada roads. It is blocking traffic, but there are no injuries. Bethany Fire Department is responding.

UPDATE 5:49 p.m.: A responder at the scene says the roads are open. The vehicle involved is a pickup that was towing a farm tractor.

UPDATE 5:51 p.m.: "They are just now getting the tractor up and out."

A serious motor-vehicle accident is reported at Route 63 and Fargo Road, which is near Little Canada in Bethany. A passerby who called it in said it looked like a head-on collision of a tractor-trailer and a pickup truck. There are two three victims, one with a head injury.

Bethany Fire Department and Mercy medics are en route. A deputy on scene reports southbound Route 63 is to be shut down. Mercy Flight is called to the scene.

Pavilion is asked to shut traffic down at Route 63 and Route 20, which is Texaco Town. Stafford is asked to shut down traffic on Town Line Road.

UPDATE 11:08 a.m.: Another ambulance is needed. One victim is refusing treatment but the medic "won't let him." The 53-foot trailer of the big rig is intact. It is loaded with 18 tons of laundry detergent.

UPDATE 11:11 a.m.: Mercy Flight will be landing in a cornfield east of the accident site.

UPDATE 11:13 a.m.: Traffic will be shut down at Route 63 and Little Canada Road.

UPDATE 11:14 a.m.: Mercy Flight has landed.

UPDATE 11:25 a.m.: Mercy medics are headed to UMMC with one patient on board.

UPDATE 11:28 a.m.: The patient going to UMMC is coming in for evaluation with complaints of general aches and pains. He is 33. In an unrelated call, a man near the accident scene called dispatch to say his rear window was blown out of his vehicle and he believes he was shot at. He asked that a deputy respond and law enforcement on scene says one will but they are all tied up at the moment.

UPDATE 11:33 a.m.: Mercy Flight is airborne and headed to Strong Memorial Hospital. Roadways are being reopened. Another victim is also being taken to UMMC. The male is suffering from broken ribs and shoulder pain.

UPDATE 12:51 p.m. (by Howard): We'll have more on the accident later this afternoon or evening after the Sheriff's Office releases its report; however, it appears that the driver of the blue pickup truck didn't stop at the intersection and turned left onto Route 63 into oncoming traffic. The semi-truck driver said he barely had time to react before hitting the smaller truck head on.

A serious rollover accident is reported at 5751 Little Canada Road in Bethany. There is a person outside of a vehicle, unconscious.

Mercy Flight is en route and will land at the scene.

Bethany Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding. Stafford Fire Department is called to standby in its hall for possible mutual aid.

UPDATE 3:39 p.m.: Stafford is requested to the scene.

UPDATE 3:40 p.m.: A "second passenger" is reported to be out of the vehicle and walking around. Little Canada Road is being shut down to traffic at Fargo Road by fire police. Mercy Flight has been cancelled.

UPDATE 3:45 p.m.: Bethany fire has cancelled mutual aid from Stafford.

UPDATE 4:05 p.m.: The front-seat passenger suffered minor injuries and is being transported by Mercy medics to UMMC.

UPDATE 4:22 p.m.: All emergency personnel are released from the scene with the exception of fire police to control traffic.

UPDATE 6:24 p.m.: Little Canada Road has been reopened.