accident

A car reportedly drove into a pond at 12035 Perry Road in Pavilion. Unknown if occupants are inside. Pavilion Fire Department is responding. It's north of Route 20 and on the east side. East Pembroke and Wyoming water rescue teams called to the scene.

UPDATE 7:43 p.m.: Responders are having some difficulty finding the scene. A State Trooper is there. The pond is on the left side of the property, which is located down a winding driveway. No one is inside the vehicle, which is now partially out of the pond. Wyoming is cancelled. East Pembroke is continuing as a precaution.

UPDATE 7:48 p.m.: Pavilion fire is told to stand by in its hall. The site is "...the new house that's up on the hill."

UPDATE 7:51 p.m.: Mercy medics are en route. Pavilion is told to stand down.

UPDATE 7:53 p.m.: East Pembroke's water rescue team is cancelled.

UPDATE 7:58 p.m.: Medics will be put back in service after getting a sign off.

UPDATE 8:05 p.m.: A tow truck is called. The vehicle is out of the pond.

A two-car accident with injuries is reported in front of Top's Market Gas Station, 128 W. Main St. in Le Roy.

Le Roy Fire and Ambulance are responding.

UPDATE 7:56 p.m.: Tow trucks were called. The fire department is back in service. No word on injuries.

A golf cart rollover with injuries is reported at Terry Hills Golf Course, located at 5122 Clinton St. Road. Town of Batavia Fire Department is responding and Mercy EMS. It is believed the golf cart motor is still running.

UPDATE 12:06 p.m.: Mercy medics are on scene. The fire department's response is cancelled.

UPDATE 12:37 p.m.: The golf cart driver was transported to UMMC.

UPDATE 12:46 p.m.: The victim is a 48-year-old man from out of the area who suffered a possible broken arm and dislocated hip.

A motorcycle accident with minor injuries is reported somewhere along the Oatka Trail. Le Roy Fire and Ambulance is responding and dispatch is working to track the location.

UPDATE 8:11 p.m.: A deputy headed eastbound on the trail, and a now a mile and a half into Monroe County, has not found the accident. Le Roy responders are continuing but Monroe County authorities are being notified since it's probably in Mumford's fire district.

UPDATE 8:15 p.m.: Le Roy is returning to service. The accident involves one victim with minor injuries and it is confirmed to be in Mumford's district.

The drivers of both vehicles involved in a two-car, head-on collision on Indian Falls Road on July 7 remain hospitalized but their health is improving.

Donald Sage, 70, of Judge Road, Oakfield, remains in intensive care at Strong Memorial Hospital. 

On a website set up by Strong for family members to share information about loved ones, his daughter reports that Sage recently was able to breath for 27 hours without a respirator. Sage suffered internal injuries and a broken arm.

Meanwhile, investigators were finally able to talk with Sonya M. Charache, 30, of Gorton Road, Alabama, a couple of days ago, according to Chief Deputy Gordon Dibble.

Charache is in intensive care at ECMC. (A family member reports that Sandra is out of intensive care, though will remain hospitalized for some time.)

Dibble said, as is common in traumatic accidents, Charache is unable to remember the accident.

Investigators are analyizing data from the computers on the vehicles, but that information will only get them so far in determining what happened, Dibble said.

"They can tell you about speed, braking and seat belts," Dibble said, "but they can't tell you why a driver crossed over into the other lane. We still don't know what caused the accident."

A two-car accident with one injury is reported at the intersection of Route 19 and Griswold Road, Le Roy.

One person may have a neck injury.

The accident is not blocking traffic.

Le Roy Fire Department dispatched.

UPDATE 9:53 a.m.: Le Roy back in service.

A one-car accident with injuries is reported at 7586 Reuben Road in Alabama. The car crashed into a tree at the curve on the Tonawanda Indian Reservation. Alabama Fire Department is responding. Vehicle occupants are out and walking around.

An airplane has rolled over on the west-end runway at the Genesee County Airport and the pilot is still inside. Unknown injuries. No fire seen.

Mercy medics and Town of Batavia firefighters are responding. The airport is at 4705 E. Saile Drive, Town of Batavia.

UPDATE 8:48 p.m.: No extrication needed. The pilot is conscious and alert but medical attention is required.

UPDATE 8:52 p.m.: Medics will need assistance in getting the pilot out.

UPDATE 8:58 p.m.: A "hydraulic rescue cutter" is needed and will be brought to the scene.

UPDATE 9:03 p.m.: A pumper truck out of Oakfield is asked to stand in at Town of Batavia's fire hall. Mercy Flight is responding to the scene.

UPDATE 9:05 p.m.: The patient has been extricated.

UPDATE 9:10 p.m.: There's a 10 minute ETA for Mercy Flight.

UPDATE 9:12 p.m.: The Mercy Flight pilot says the airfield is in sight and it should arrive in about three minutes. The injured pilot is said to be in stable condition with a head laceration and an "open fracture" on one of his legs.

UPDATE 9:17 p.m.: Mercy Flight has landed.

UPDATE 9:30 p.m.: Mercy Flight is airborne, en route in Strong Memorial Hospital.

UPDATE 9:48 p.m.: Town of Batavia firefighters returning to service and so is Oakfield. The runway and taxiway are being checked, and swept, as per Federal Aerospace Adminstration requirements. State police will be the last to leave and then the runway will be reopened.

UPDATE 9:51 p.m.: The airport runway is clear of debris.

UPDATE: WBTA's Geoff Redick was still on scene when a State Trooper conducted a short press conference. Watch the video here. The pilot is Patrick McCabe, 54, of Caledonia. McCabe suffered a compound fracture to his leg. The trooper said this flight was McCabe's maiden voyage with the plane. The crash occured before take-off for an unknown reason.

A two-car accident with injuries is reported in front of McDonald's restaurant on West Main Street in Batavia.

Town volunteer firefighters and Mercy medics are responding.

UPDATE 3:15 p.m.: The 19-year-old female driver of a sedan was transported to UMMC as a precaution. She was able to walk to the ambulance. She suffered some minor left arm pain, possibly to due to air bag deployment, and a slight chemical burn. She struck a county highway department truck.

UPDATE 3:22 p.m.: Town fire units returning to service.

A car has struck a pedestrian at East Main and Elm streets in the City of Batavia. Injuries are serious. The fire department and Mercy medics are responding. Mercy Flight out of Buffalo has been notified and will be responding.

UPDATE 9:17 p.m.: Mercy Squad #2 is en route to the Genesee County Airport with a patient on board for Mercy Flight to transport.

UPDATE 9:32 p.m.: Mercy Flight is airborne and headed to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester.

UPDATE 9:57 p.m.: Statements from witnesses indicate the woman who was struck, whose name has not been released yet, may have been trying to get hit by a car. Gretchen Hawley, who was sitting on the patio of a nearby restaurant with her father, Ted Hawley, said she saw the woman dart out into traffic as a car was heading west with a green light. The car managed to stop before hitting the woman. The woman then went back to the sidewalk and waited a while then with a green light for westbound traffic and a small black sedan approaching, the woman ran into the street again. "She went out in the street and then sped up to get in front of the car," Gretchen said. Ted added, "It was totally deliberate." Police confirmed that other witnesses told consistent stories. The driver of the car was shaken up, but not injured. The woman said she was "hurting all over" and transported to Strong by Mercy Flight as a precaution. It's unknown if she has any internal injuries. She was conscious and alert at the time of transport.

UPDATE: The victim has been identified as a 49-year-old woman from Le Roy, but her name is not being released at this time. Her medical condition is not known at this time.

About five minutes ago, there was a minor three-car accident on East Main Street at Center Street. No injuries. City Fire Department called to deal with an antifreeze leak. City police on scene to take a report.

A pedestrian has been hit by a car at the Rite Aid location on Lewiston Road.

Town of Batavia Fire Department and Mercy EMS responding.

No word yet on the extent of injuries.

UPDATE 2 p.m.: The victim is conscious and alert.

A landing zone for Mercy Flight is being set up at Watson and Strouts roads, Elba, for a man who was injured after falling 15 feet from a ladder.

The man, working at a residence in the area, may have internal injuries.

Elba Fire and Mercy EMS are on scene.

UPDATE 8:15 a.m.: Mercy Flight on the ground.

UPDATE 8:28 a.m.: Mercy Flight in route to Strong.

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Mercy Flight has been requested to the scene of a motocross accident in the Town of Covington, Wyoming County.

The location is within the Pavilion Fire District, and Pavilion volunteers are on scene on Brownell Road.

The rider lost consciousness, then regained consciousness, but was not entirely alert initially. He is now reportedly alert and has an arm burn.

UPDATE 5:21 p.m.: Mercy Flight in route to Strong. Pavilion back in service.

The driver of a red SUV that crossed the center line causing a serious-injury accident on Indian Falls Road on Thursday, remains in serious condition at ECMC and hasn't been available for interviews, Undersheriff Bill Sheron said. 

Sonya M. Charache, 30, of Gorton Road, suffered a head injury in the accident. It's unclear what caused her SUV to cross the center line, Sheron said.

"It's not unusual that in such accidents where there are head injuries that the victims don't remember much of the accident, or they can't recall what happened just prior to the accident," Sheron said.

It's possible prescription drugs could have been a factor, Sheron said, but toxicology reports have not been returned yet, so neither drugs nor alcohol as a contributing factor have been ruled out.

Three children in Charache's SUV and the driver of a blue pickup truck that was eastbound on Indian Falls Road were also injured.

The other driver, Donald Sage, 70, of Judge Road, Oakfield, remains hospitalized at Strong with multiple fractures and facial injuries.

The 6-year-old injured, Garrett M. Talbot, remains hospitalized. Sheron said he is making good progress toward recovery.

"None of the injuries are considered life threatening at this point," Sheron said.

The other two children, Jackson K. Gilbert, 2, and Kayda L. Charache, 1, both of Gorton Road, Alabama, are out of the hospital.

A vehicle struck a tree, then a house at 15 Holland Ave. in the City of Batavia. There are no injuries reported. City fire responded and is clearing. There is a small amount of structural damage to the porch and a little damage to the vehicle.

A two-car accident with injuries is reported at Telephone and Cook roads in Pavilion. It's possibly a head-on collision. Pavilion Fire Department and Mercy EMS are responding and the availability of Mercy Flight is being checked.

UPDATE: 1:10 p.m.: A responder on scene says there are minor injuries, including a chest injury and an arm injury. No need for Mercy Flight. Three vehicles are involved.

The victim of a tragic roller coaster accident at Darien Lake Theme Park this afternoon was 29-year-old James Hackemer, of Gowanda. He is a veteran of the Iraq War and a double-amputee. One of his legs was removed at the hip, and other below just above the knee.

The Ride of Steel is a lap-harness-only roller coaster. Its restraint system includes a yellow lap bar that covers approximately hip-to-hip, and a lap-only seat belt. There are no other bodily restraints built into the ride. Hackemer was not wearing prosthetic legs this afternoon.

At a news conference this evening, Genesee County Sheriff's Sergeant Greg Walker confirmed that Hackemer was riding in the front seat of the front car on The Ride of Steel at the time of the incident. He was sitting next to a family member. Sgt. Walker estimated the roller coaster was traveling about 50 mph. He could not say how far Hackemer had fallen.

Sheriff's investigations will continue tomorrow. Darien Lake officials and the NYS Department of Labor are also looking into the matter. No charges have been filed.

Park officials declined comment this evening, other than to say that the theme park will remain open on its normal schedule tomorrow. The Ride of Steel will remain closed. A message to the public has been posted on the Darien Lake website.

PHOTO: Genesee County Sheriff's Sgt. Steve Mullen, left, and Sgt. Greg Walker. Photo by Geoff Redick of WBTA.

CORRECTION (1:04 a.m.): Victim's name updated to reflect proper spelling.

A patron, believed to be a male, fell off the Ride of Steel roller coaster (also known as Superman) this afternoon and died at Darien Lake Theme Park, according to Genesee County Sheriff Gary Maha.

No other information is available at this time.

UPDATE (8:20 p.m.): According to a park spokesperson, the victim is an adult male. The accident happened at about 5:30 p.m. The ride and surrounding area are closed while the incident is under investigation.

A car versus motorcycle accident, with injuries, is reported at Walnut and Law streets. The caller at the scene reports the motorcyclist is conscious. City fire and police along with Mercy EMS are responding.

UPDATE 7:17 p.m.: Portions of the streets will be shut down temporarily due to the accident.

UPDATE 7:32 p.m.: The motorcyclist is being taken to UMMC with non-life-threatening injuries. The fire engine is back in service.