accident

When we make an error, we normally just correct the post, and if it's a factual error, note it in that post appropriately. Normally, because most often the mistake is brought to our attention in fairly short order.

Last week we reported an accident where we included the word "not" where there should have been no "not." Driver Charles Kopp DID tell investigators that he used his turn signal.

Since the post is quite old in Internet years at this point, we wanted to draw readers attention to this factual error.

The Batavian regrets the error.

(UPDATED 9:40 p.m.)

David W. Connors, the Livonia man injured in an accident at the demolition derby on Saturday, has died.

The Sheriff's Office confirmed his death this afternoon. He was prounced dead at 1:31 p.m. at Strong Memorial Hospital, according to a release issued late this evening.

Connors, 64, was a safety official at the demolition derby and was on the derby's track when one car struck another, spinning the second car around violently about 180 degrees. The back of the second vehicle then struck Connors.

The driver of the mini-van that struck Connors has been identified as Eric Weis, 27, of Batavia.

The accident occurred about 8:21 p.m. Saturday.

As soon as Connors was hit, crews from the Stafford and Elba fire departments as well as Batavia ambulance personnel jumped over a concrete barrier from where they were standing and went to his aid. A yellow vinyl barrier was erected around him while emergency personnel tended to him. 

He was quickly transported via ground ambulance to UMMC and later transferred to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester where, as of about 10 a.m. this morning, he was still listed in guarded condition.

(UPDATED 6:45 a.m., July 27)

A 64-year-old man from Livonia was injured last night at the demolition derby at the Genesee County Fair, the Sheriff's Office confirmed in a news release this morning.

The victim, who was a safety worker, has been identified as 64-year-old David W. Connors. Nor has the 28-year-old driver, from Batavia, of the car that struck him.

Connors is at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester where he is in guarded condition.

The accident occurred at 8:21 p.m.

A City of Batavia ambulance was on scene immediately, as were personnel from the Stafford Fire Department and the Elba Fire Department. The victim was transported to UMMC and then transferred to Strong.

The ongoing investigation is being handled by Deputy Frank Bordonaro, Sgt. Steve Mullen, Sgt. Gregory Walker and Deputy John Duyssen of the Crash Management Team.

No other information is available at this time.

We've heard this from enough sources to report that there was a an accident at the demolition derby in at the Genesee County Fair early this evening. An individual was taken by ground ambulance to UMMC.  Mercy Flight could not respond due to the weather.

We have heard that the Sheriff's Office is investigating the accident, so we anticipate a press release or accident report as soon as Sunday, but maybe not until Monday.

I've received requests for more information, but none is available at this time.

UPDATE: At 2:37 p.m., northbound traffic is released to travel.

UPDATE: At 2:33 p.m.,the accident was under control and crews were dispersing.

A two-vehicle accident with injuries is being handled now, 2:25 p.m. at 8019 Lewiston Road in the Town of Batavia.

Emergency workers at the scene have requested a second ambulence, which is heading there from Oakfield.

It appears to be a rear-ender. The first ambulance is headed to Strong Memorial Hospitial in Rochester.

The accident site on Lewiston Road is near Galloway Road and the Route 90 bridge. Northbound traffic is being halted and traffic is being rerouted down Galloway Road, according to the police on the scanner.

No other information is yet available.

The lack of a turn signal may have been the cause of an accident in Darien on Thursday afternoon that sent two people to the hospital.

Charles V. Kopp, 51, of 2996 Countyline Road, was northbound on Countyline Road when he reportedly slowed to make a left hand turn into a private driveway. Kopp reportedly told Deputy T.G. Wescott that he did not use a turn signal.

Jeremiah W. Stanek, 20, of 9806 Allegheny Road, Corfu, was also northbound. He told Westcott that he didn't see a turn signal of Kopp's 1995 Chevy pickup.

Stanek reportedly struck Kopp's vehicle from behind causing it to travel off the west side of the roadway, where it left the pavement and struck a tree.

Stanek reportedly suffered an injury to his lower leg and was transported to UMMC.

A passenger in Stanek's 1998 Chevy pickup, 23-year-old Jeremy M. Kasprzyk, was also taken to UMMC with a possible chest injury.

The accident occurred about 4:12 p.m. yesterday.

The report below was submitted this evening by Bruce Ross of the Indian Falls Fire Department:

There was a semi vs car MVA in front of 404 Main Rd. Pembroke at approx.  3:30 this afternoon.

The car traveling West on Rt. 5 was struck by a semi tanker that was  traveling East on 5.  The impact caused severe damage to both vehicles driver  sides.  The car spun around at least 180 degrees once coming to rest in the  ditch facing East. A City of Batavia Ambulance that was on its way to Buffalo  on a transport was first on scene.  Pembroke and Indian Falls Fire Dept. used  the jaws of life to extricate the driver of the car which took approx. 15  minutes to complete.  The driver was then flown by Mercy Flight to Strong  Hospital in Rochester with multiple face lacerations and possible internal  injuries on top of a pre existing medical issue that may have been aggravated  in the accident.

Mutual aid fire dept called to the scene was Akron to shut down East bound  traffic at 5 and Crittenden Rd, Corfu to shut down West bound traffic at Lake  and 5 and to set up a Mercy Flight landing zone behind Pembroke Fire Hall, Darien for a ambulance.

Officers are investigating a one-car rollover accident at 7229 Warboys Road in Bergen.

The father of the driver apparently picked him up and took him home before an ambulance arrived.  The nature of his injuries, if any, are unknown.

A 20-year-old motorcycle rider from Basom is in serious condition at Erie County Medical Center following an accident at the Flying J truck stop last night.

Elias P. Seward, who resides at 812 Gorton Road, Basom, was transported by Life Flight to ECMC, where he is now in ICU. Information on the exact nature of his injuries is not available.

The accident occurred last night about 7:30.

The driver of a truck, Joel S. Fitzgerald, 66, of 9330 Horseshoe Island Road, Clay, told investigator Deputy T.G. Westcott that he was heading south on Route 77 in the passing lane attempting to make a right hand turn into the Flying J. Westcott's report states, "Operator of vehicle #1 (Fitzgerald) stated he only saw a light as he turned and didn't see vehicle #2 (Seward) in the driving lane.

Fitzgerald was pulling a house trailer. The trailer struck Seward and dragged him approximately 40 feet, pinning him under the trailer at the entrance to Flying J.

A passenger riding in the back of a pickup truck suffered a minor head injury over the weekend after falling from the moving vehicle.

Charles E. Blair, 48, sustained cuts to his head when he lost his balance as the driver, Betty L. Stetzenmeyer, 58, of Canandaigua, pulled from the parking lot of a store at 409 Bloomingdale Road, near Martin Road, in Alabama.

There were six other passengers in the truck.  No other injuries were reported.

Reader Bruce Ross  submitted this photo from earlier today of an accident on Route 77 in Alabama. We don't have the accident report from the Sheriff's Office yet.

He sent this message with the photo:

There was another two car MVA that occurred about 30 minutes ago at route 77 and Ledge Rd Alabama Fire Dept responded for a report of one minor injury.   The accident was called in by the Indian Falls Fire Dept Assistant Chief.   One car was about 3 feet from hitting the house on the NE corner of that  intersection.

The driver of a 1996 Pontiac was injured Monday night in a single-car rollover accident on Route 63 near Galloway Road in Batavia.

C.J. Friesma, 24, of 27 S. Pearl St., Apt. 3, Oakfield, reportedly told Deputy C.A. Parker that he lost control of the car for reasons unknown. He was driving southbound on 63 when the car began a counter-clockwise rotation. The car traveled across the northbound lane and down an embankment, where it overturned.

Friesma reportedly suffered a shoulder injury and was transported to UMMC.

The Pontiac's owner, Nicole E. Friesma, of Oakfield, told Parker that she called Friesma about 11:15 p.m. to pick her up from work, and he was asleep.

The accident occurred about 11:25 p.m.

(Picture submitted by Chief Robert Hunt, Town of Batavia Fire Department)

Two teenagers were injured in a one-car crash last night in the 8700 block of Simonds Road in Pembroke that investigators say was caused by driving too fast.

Holly A. Peffer, 17, of 10374 Clarence Center, Clarence, was reported as the driver and she suffered an injured leg. Her passenger was reportedly Chelsea K. Loomis, 16, who complained of abdominal pain.

Both were transported to Erie County Medical Center for evaluation.

Deputy K.R. McCarthy reported that the car, a 1999 Ford SUV, was northbound on Simonds Road at an "unsafe speed" at about 11:40 p.m. when it left the roadway along the east shoulder. The car hit an earth embankment and rolled over.

A twenty-year-old Attica woman suffered burns on her legs in a three-car crash The Batavian reported on yesterday afternoon.

Amanda L. Gilhooly, of 1432 Nesbitt Road, Attica, managed to escape from her 2004 Saturn sedan before it burst into flames. She suffered burns on her legs and was transported to UMMC after the 4:37 p.m. crash.

According to the Sheriff's Office report prepared by Deputy C.J. Minuto, a 2006 Subaru SUV driven by Amie L. Gray, 26, of 62 Leydecker, Apt. 2, Seneca, was heading northbound on Route 98 when Gray was unable to stop or avoid a Jeep driven by James Delvin, 66, of 4452 Shortsville Road, Shortsville. Devlin stopped in the road to make a left-hand turn into a driveway of a construction site. 

Upon impact, according to the report, Delvin's Jeep spun counter-clockwise into the southbound lane, where it was hit in the back a second time by the Saturn driven by Gilhooly.

Photo above submitted by Deputy Chief Paul Barrett of the Town of Batavia Fire Department. For more photos, see the original post.

UPDATE: One woman suffered burns to her legs and a second driver was transported to UMMC for evaluation following a three-car accident on Route 98 near Rose Road in Batavia about 4:45 p.m.

A Saturn driven by the woman who was burned was completely engulfed.

"She was lucky to get out of the car fast," said Town of Batavia Fire Chief Robert Hunt.

Her name, along with the other driver who may have been injured has not been released.

James Devlin, who was driving a Jeep northbound on Route 98 when his car was apparently rear-ended by A Subaru, was apparently uninjured and declined transport to the hospital.

"I was making a left turn and I could see the car coming up behind me and it wasn't going to stop, but there was nothing I could do," Devlin said. "She hit me and spun me around and then the other car hit me and that's the last thing I remember. I just got out because I saw the flames."

The third vehicle in the crash, a Saturn, that made the second impact with Devlin's Jeep apparently tore the gas tank from the Jeep, which immediately burst into flames.

It wasn't clear from officials on scene if the woman driving the Saturn was pulled from the burning car or if she got herself out. Devlin said he believed she got out of the car herself.

The preliminary investigation by Deputy C.J. Minuto indicates the driver of the Subaru apparently did not stop after coming over the crest of a hill and hit Devlin's Jeep, spinning it into the southbound lane, where it was again hit in the rear by the Saturn.

Pictures: Top, photo submitted by Deputy Chief Paul Barrett of the Town of Batavia Fire Department. The second photo, by Howard Owens, is the the burned-out Saturn.  Bottom: First picture by Howard Owens of Deputy Minuto and Det. Kirsopher Kautz look at the Jeep that was driven by Devlin.  Next three pictures by Paul Barrett.

NOTE: We are anticipating more pictures later.

Original Post:

A vehicle accident in the area of 9098 Route 98 has apparently left one person with burns and fire crews are being dispatched.

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The driver of a black Pontiac Grand Am or Grand Prix that reportedly hit a motorcycle on Walnut Street on Friday night and then fled the scene is being sought by Batavia Police.

The motorcycle driver, Justin Fagan, 22, who suffered an injury to his lower leg, told police he had seen the Pontiac behind him on Route 98 driving at a high rate of speed and weaving in and out of traffic. Both the car and the motorcycle were northbound on Walnut when they approached the construction area in the 100 block and Fagan said he slowed down and moved left to try avoid being hit.

The black Pontiac allegedly maintained its original speed, striking the motorcycle in the rear, sideswiping it and then continuing northbound on Walnut Street, turning right onto Law Street (its only option with Walnut closed to northbound traffic at that point).

Fagan's passenger, Emily O'Brien (age not available), suffered an unspecified back injury.

Both O'Brien and Fagan were taken to UMMC, but both have apparently been released as of today.

Witnesses at the scene Friday night complained that even with the rough road during construction, cars continue to drive the street faster than they should.

"This was bound to happen," said Walnut Street resident T.J. McAllister. "See how bumpy it is. Look at that police car and how much it's bouncing even as slow as its going.  People come through here going twice as fast. It's just crazy."

Det. Richard Schauf, Batavia Police Department, said the police are aware of speed problems along Walnut and Law streets and are doing as much as possible to address it.

"Whenever we have somebody available that's an area we try to enforce," Schauf said. "We try to be visible."

Another witness, Joe Elmore, who was first on the scene, described Fagan as a bit of a hero, sacraficing his own body to keep his bike upright.

"He said he did everything he could to protect his girlfriend," Elmore said. "He broke his leg just trying to hold up his bike."

UPDATE: Jeremy M. Pysher, 19, of 730 Exchange Road, Attica, was seriously injured and is in critical condition at Erie County Medical Center following a one-car accident on Route 238 this morning at 8:42.

The Genesee County Sheriff's Office is investigating the crash in which Pysher, driving a 1991 Chevrolet Lumina, drifted across the southbound lane and off the west shoulder of the roadway. The car struck a tree "virtually head-on" and twisted around the trunk of the tree before striking a second tree.

The car caught fire, but the fire was contained to the rear of the engine compartment. 

Pysher suffered unspecified injuries as well as burns to his lower legs.

He was transported by Mercy Flight to ECMC.

The location of the accident on Route 238 was appoximately 4/10 of a mile south of Griswold Road in Darien.

The ongoing investigation is being conducted by Deputy Eric Seppala with assistance from Sgt. James Meier, Sgt. William Scott and Investigator Timothy Weis. Also responding to the scene were the Corfu Police Department, the Darien Fire Department and members of New York State Corrections.

Original post:

A car reportedly hit a tree on Route 238 just south of Griswold Road in Darien.

At least one person is trapped in the car and extraction tools are needed. Mercy Flight has been requested. The car was also reportedly smoldering.

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An apparent hit-and-run driver injured two people tonight after reportedly rear-ending a motorcycle as it slowed to pass over an unpaved area of Walnut Street.

A witness, Joe Elmore, of Walnut Street, said he heard a loud crack followed by a woman's "blood curdling" scream, and he rushed from his back yard out to the roadway.  He assisted the driver and his female passenger, trying to get a passing BMW to call 911 and and follow the hit-and-run driver. He doesn't believe the BMW driver did either.

Elmore said he screamed at a semi-truck driver to stop and put on his flashers, and he did, to slow down traffic.

The location of the accident, about 143 Walnut St., is the start of a road construction area where the pavement has been completely removed and replaced by stones. There is an at least four-inch drop from the paved area to the rocky surface.

Both Elmore and T.J. McAllister, who lives adjacent the accident scene, said cars continue to come flying down Walnut as if there's no construction at all.

Elmore said the motorcycle driver told him that he slowed when he hit the unpaved area, but the car behind him didn't and plowed right into him.

"He said he did everything he could to protect his girlfriend," Elmore said. "He broke his leg just trying to hold up his bike."

Just in the five minutes or so Elmore, McAllister and myself stood there talking, after the accident scene had been cleared, at least a half dozen cars passed in each direction driving at or above the normal speed limit. One car hit the bump so hard something fall off of it.

Elmore said he wanted attention brought to the street so that people will be more aware that they need to slow down.

A few minutes earlier, while McAllister and I talked, he pointed to a police car pulling away and said, "This was bound to happen. See how bumpy it is. Look at that police car and how much it's bouncing even as slow as it's going. People come through here going twice as fast. It's just crazy."

No official report on the accident is available at this time.

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A pair of tractor trailers have collided on eastbound Interstate 90 at about mile marker 288. One is reportedly partially overturned. No injuries reported at this time.

One driver reports being cut off by another truck driver.  No further details at this time.

Emergency crews are being dispatched to a one-car accident on the Thruway with a reported minor injury. 

A first responder reports that the accident is in the median near Bank Street with one person complaining of chest and knee pain.