accident

A head-on, two-car accident with multiple injuries is reported at 352 Main Road in the Town of Pembroke, near the Erie County line. Corfu, Pembroke and Darien fire departments are responding and Mercy Flight will be also.

UPDATE 2:39 p.m.: Traffic is backing up and Route 77 is reduced to a single lane in some places. The landing zone will be a lot at Jim & Bob's Service Co. Route 5 is being shut down. Akron Fire Department is requested to shut down 5 at Crittenden Road. In addition to Mercy Flight, an ambulance is needed at the scene. Responders are working to extricate victims.

UPDATE 2:43 p.m.: Corfu fire is going to shut down Lake Road at 5 to westbound traffic.

UPDATE 2:28: Fire police will also shut down Route 5 at Route 77. Mercy Flight has landed and the ambulance is on scene.

UPDATE 2:57 p.m.: It appears they are going to keep 5 at 77 open at least for the time being.

UPDATE 3:14 p.m.: Mercy Flight is airborne but no destination reported yet.

UPDATE 3:21 p.m.: Genesee County Coroner Kristine Flanagan has arrived on scene.

UPDATE 4:48 p.m.: The roadways are reopened. Responders are back in service.

A pedestrian has been struck by a car at Main and Oak streets, Batavia.

State Police are on scene. City fire and Mercy EMS being dispatched.

UPDATE 8:22 a.m. (by Billie): A medic at the scene says the pedestrian will be transported to the hangar and taken to a hospital via Mercy Flight.

UPDATE 8:39 p.m.: The pedestrian is a female who suffered a compound leg fracture and will be flown to Strong Memorial Hospital. She was reportedly part of a crew here to sell a special kids' edition of the Buffalo News. Reportedly there are three witnesses, two who were interviewed at the scene, and a school bus driver.

UPDATE 9:18 a.m.: The woman was crossing the street and another vehicle blocked her view of an oncoming car, and blocked that driver from seeing her, according to Officer Eric Hill. The accident is under investigation and no decision has been made about who, if either party, will get a citation. The woman appears to have suffered no other injury than the broken leg, but she will be evaluated at Strong. It doesn't appear that she was actively selling papers at the time of the accident. If she was part of the crew, she was apparently crossing the street to join a crew of people on the Oliver's corner. 

A male was in the roadway at Jackson and Main streets after being struck by a vehicle. He's now up and walking. Mercy medics and city fire are on scene. The driver fled eastbound in a dark blue or tan Ford Explorer, and he is said to be white with dark hair and wearing sweatshirt. Police are looking for the vehicle now.

UPDATE 2:07 p.m.: Police are out with a vehicle matching that description at T.F. Brown's.

UPDATE 2:08 p.m.: Police are clear of that vehicle, and still looking for the Explorer. Now the driver is said to have "darker skin" and curly hair.

UPDATE 2:11 p.m.: Fire and medics are back in service.

A tractor-trailer has reportedly rear-ended a passenger vehicle on the eastbound off ramp of Thruway Exit 48A and there are injuries reported.

Pembroke and Indian Falls responding along with Mercy EMS.

UPDATE 8:52 p.m.: The location is eastbound just before the off ramp.

UPDATE 8:59 p.m.: There are two injuries. One person is walking around. The other person is still in the car.

UPDATE 9:26 p.m.: There were two dogs in the vehicle. One crated, the other not. There's no indication either animal was injured. Animal control is in route to assist with the dogs.

A motor-vehicle accident with injuries is reported in the area of 7067 Randall Road, near Britt Road. Le Roy Fire and Ambulance Service is responding.

UPDATE 12:41 p.m.: There are two vehicles involved and both are off the roadway. A second ambulance is requested.

UPDATE 12:43 p.m.: They're going to close the road because there's a lot of debris. There are three patients, so a third rig is requested.

UPDATE 1:21 p.m.: Three patients are being transported to UMMC. One is a teenage male, and another rig is taking the driver and as well as a 29-year-old male passenger. The vehicle with two occupants was T-boned by the other vehicle traveling about 55 mph. The T-boned vehicle rolled three times, yet the two people inside were able to walk around at the scene.

A motor-vehicle accident is reported in front of Batavia Downs on Park Road. A woman is said to have a neck injury. Two Mercy medics are dispatched along with Town of Batavia Fire Department.

UPDATE 5:15 p.m.: Town of Batavia back in service.

A tractor-trailer has jackknifed on Lewiston Road, near the Thruway. Traffic is completely blocked in both directions. Town of Batavia Fire Department is responding non-emergency. The roadway will be shut down at Route 63 and Galloway Road.

The Emergency Dispatch Center has received a couple of calls reporting a big balloon of some sort crashed into the trees off Pratt Road, east of Powers Road, by the Thruway, and in the woods.

The contraption is hung up in the trees. It's unknown if occupied. East Pembroke Fire Department is responding, along with Mercy medics as a precaution. Mercy Flight is also put on standby.

A responder on scene said he saw the balloon come down pretty fast and it looked liked a "roll of toilet paper coming down."

UPDATE 4:24 p.m.: Witnesses at the scene say no one is in the thing, which is said to be a weather balloon. East Pembroke and medics are put back in service.

UPDATE 4:29 p.m.: The weather service in Buffalo told dispatchers these types of balloons are put up every 12 hours, every day. This one apparently fell short due to a lack of wind. The white object seen falling from it is thought to be its instrument box. Responders say they haven't located it and think it might be in the swamp. If it's found it will be sent back to Buffalo. The weather service doesn't want the damaged balloon back, just the instrument box.

UPDATE Monday, April 29: This wasn't a weather balloon after all. It is a "crop blanket" from a nearby farm. The farmer told authorities that he had put it over his crop on Friday and on Saturday half of it tore off and blew away. Intact, the crop blanket measured 250 feet by 50 feet.

Two cars and a motorcycle have crashed at 649 Bloomingdale Road, Basom. There are injuries and at least one person has serious injuries. Alabama Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding and Mercy Flight is on notice.

UPDATE 3:17 p.m.: Mercy Flight is called to the scene. Akron Fire Police are called to shut down traffic at Bloomingdale and Sand Hill roads. People are trapped. Extraction equipment needed. Three ambulances are called. Indian Falls rescue called, too.

UPDATE 3:20 p.m.: A second helicopter called to the scene. Bloomingdale at Poodry Road is shut down. Paw Smokes is to be the landing zone.

UPDATE 3:29 p.m.: One patient has been extracted.

UPDATE 3:32 p.m.: The second helicopter has an 11-minute ETA.

UPDATE 3:34 p.m.: Pembroke was called as well and is now on scene.

UPDATE 3:40 p.m.: Six Several people were trapped. Only one still needs to be extracted.

UPDATE 3:45 p.m.: All patients have been extricated.

UPDATE 4:01 p.m.: All patients requiring transport to hospitals are en route. The helicopters and medicshave left the scene. One patient was taken to Lockport, three to Erie County Medical Center, and one to "Children's Hospital."

UPDATE 4:08 p.m.: The Pembroke and Indian Falls assignment is back in service.

UPDATE 4:40 p.m.: Earlier, an official at the scene told Howard it appears that a small white sedan was traveling eastbound on Bloomingdale Road and a motorcyclist was traveling behind it. A minivan was headed westbound. For unknown reasons, the white sedan crossed the center line and hit the minivan head on. The motorcycle got tangled up in the crash and the rider had to lay his bike down. The driver and front passenger of the white sedan were transported via the Mercy Flight helicopters. A third occupant, who was riding in the sedan's back seat, was transported via ambulance. The motorcyclist and the driver of the minivan were also taken to hospitals in ambulances.

UPDATE 5 p.m.: Alabama is back in service. The road is being reopened.

A two-car, head-on collision is reported in the area of 8419 Indian Falls Road, north of Pratt Road. Mercy Flight out of Batavia is apprised and available. East Pembroke Fire Department and two Mercy Medic units are responding.

UPDATE 10:24 a.m.: A responder on scene reports the vehicles are well off the roadway, not blocking, and the occupants claim no injuries. Medics will continue in order to evaluate.

A car has gone off the roadway on I-490 near mile marker 4.5 in the eastbound lane.

One caller reports no injuries and another caller told a dispatcher "there must be injuries."

Bergen fire and Bergen's ambulance responding.

UPDATE 6:04 p.m.: Bergen transporting a patient to Strong.

A one-car accident with injuries is reported at Law and Chestnut streets. City fire, police and Mercy medics are responding. This is at a sharp curve in the roadway.

UPDATE 9:59 p.m.: The scene is clear. The woman driver did not appear to suffer any serious injury. She may have had a medical injury prior to the accident. A utility pole was badly damaged and National Grid was on scene.

A white-haired man estimated to be in his 70s was struck be a vehicle within the last half hour in front of Burger King on West Main Street in the city. But he got up and walked away from the scene.

City firefighters went to the location and could not find him, so they returned to quarters. City police scoured the area of Oak and Main and found him in front of Parise's Automotive & Towing. A medic was sent to check him out. Police are back in service.

UPDATE 2:49 p.m.: Mercy medics are transporting the 71-year-old pedestrian to UMMC. He was "lightly struck" by a vehicle and is complaining of left knee pain.

A motor-vehicle accident is reported Putnam and Creek roads. The vehicle is in some water in a ditch; wires are down and arcing. The male driver reportedly fled on foot. No one else is in the car. Power is said to be out on Ellicott Street Road. National Grid is notified. Bethany Fire Department is responding.

UPDATE 10:03 p.m.: The driver is said to be tall and white. The wires are no longer arcing, but power is out. The car is a red Ford.

UPDATE 10:05 p.m.: The suspect is wearing blue jeans, sneakers and a light-colored ball cap.

UPDATE 10:40 p.m.: A flatbed tow truck requested to the scene. The vehicle is in four feet of water about 50 feet off the road. 

UPDATE 11:06 p.m.: Bethany back in service.

A woman was injured in an ATV accident near the old West Shore tracks near West Sweden Road, Bergen.

The woman suffered a head injury and is not alert.

Bergen fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

UPDATE 4:42 p.m.: A chief is out with the victim at West Shore and Route 19.

UPDATE 4:43 p.m.: Checking on Mercy Flight availability.

UPDATE 4:45 p.m.: Mercy Flight not required. The patient will be taken to Route 33 and Route 19 to meet up with Mercy EMS.

UPDATE 4:52 p.m.: Mercy Flight now requested to Route 19 and Hunter Street.

UPDATE 4:55 p.m.: Patient transported by ground ambulance.

A person was struck by a vehicle in the parking lot of Walmart, sustained minor injuries and is now inside the store near the customer service area. Town of Batavia Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding to the store on Veterans Memorial Drive.

UPDATE 1:46 p.m.: The car is only described as "a small four-door" and it's near the main entrance. The victim reportedly knows the driver.

UPDATE 1:53 p.m.: Town of Batavia fire is told to stand down.

UPDATE 1:59 p.m.: The pedestrian is being transported to UMMC.

UPDATE 2:06 p.m.: The victim is a female who was struck in the back of the knee by a vehicle backing out of a parking spot.

UPDATE 4:06 p.m.: The "victim" was later arrested a charge of falsely reporting an incident, which is a Class A misdemeanor. She is identified in an arrest report as Brandi L. Gimlin, 19, of Jerome Place in the city. State Police Sgt. Ron Lobur said the arrest was made after a review of Walmart's video, which showed she was not in proximity of the sedan when it backed out of the parking space. He also said Gimlin subsequently admitted that she made up the story. Troopers, firefighters and medics responded to the initial call.

A car rear-ended a tractor-trailer at the intersection of routes 63 and 20 -- Texaco Town. There are minor injuries and no entrapment. But the car, with Connecticut plates, is pinned underneath the semi, according to a Sheriff's deputy on scene. Pavilion Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding.

UPDATE 1:28 p.m.: The Pavilion assignment is back in service.

A car plowed into a parked vehicle at East Main Street Road and Broadlawn Avenue in the Town of Batavia. The volunteer fire department and Sheriff's deputies are responding. A Mercy medic on scene reports no injuries.

UPDATE 8:39 p.m.: Town of Batavia Fire Department is told to return to quarters and is now in service.

A three-car accident, with one person injured, is reported at 372 Bloomingdale Road. A utility pole is down, three high-tension wires are in the roadway and a transformer is leaking fluid. National Grid is notified and will shut the power down. The location is between Shanks and Tesnow roads. Sheriff's deputies are on location and Alabama fire and rescue are responding. Mercy medics are there and say a male driver hit a pole and has chest injuries.

UPDATE 3:26 p.m.: Bloomingdale Road is going to be shut down at Shanks.

UPDATE 3:28 p.m.: Fire police out of Akron are called to the scene.

UPDATE 3:34 p.m.: Bloomingdale at Martin Road is also being closed.

UPDATE 4:11 p.m.: A male in his 50s is being taken to UMMC.

UPDATE 5:53 p.m.: The roadway is reopened. Alabama is back in service. National Grid is on scene.

A disabled tractor-trailer is blocking traffic in the city at Ellicott and Evans streets. Police are on scene.