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accident

Accident at Norton Road and Route 262 causes minor injury

By Howard B. Owens

Only a minor injury was reported following a two-vehicle accident Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at the intersection of Norton Road and Route 262.

Kenneth D. Kowalik, 49, of Elba, was reportedly driving a 2006 Honda pick-up north on Norton when he failed to yield for a stop sign, striking a 2004 Pontiac driven by Gina M. Johnson, 30, of Bergen.

Johnson complained of abdominal pain, but was not hurt seriously enough to be transported to the hospital.

Driver reportedly fell asleet on Fargo Road, hit tree, minor injury

By Howard B. Owens

Philip H. Rebmann, of Corfu, reportedly fell asleep while driving on Fargo Road in Darien around 3 p.m. yesterday, according to a Sheriff's Office accident report. His 2001 Olds two-door sedan traveled off the road, hit a rock, continued over a private driveway and slammed into a tree.

Rebmann, 65, complained of chest soreness, but was not transported to the hospital.

The vehicle was registered to a Darien Center woman. 

Initial reports said the driver claimed his car had been run off the road.  A passerby had taken him to a nearby residence.

Driver claims to have been run off road on Fargo Road

By Howard B. Owens

A driver who's car slammed into a tree on Fargo Road says he was run off the road by another vehicle.

The call just came in.

Another driver picked up the driver involved in the accident and took him or her to a nearby residence. The driver reportedly suffered a minor injury, but an ambulance is not required.

Charges pending in accident involving tractor on Main Street

By Howard B. Owens

The Sheriff's Office is investigating last evenings accident involving a tractor that struck four vehicles and pushed a car sideways down Main Street in Batavia, injuring at least two people.

See yesterday's coverage.

The tractor driver, Neil W. Phelps, 55, of Caledonia, could face charges pending the outcome of the investigation, according to a Sheriff's Office press release.

A passenger in one of the cars struck when the tractor first turned onto Main Street from Route 63 was taken to UMMC for non-life-threatening injuries.

Phelps was also taken to UMMC for evaluation.

The driver of the car pushed down Main Street was also treated later that evening for complaints of hip pain, according to Robin Ettinger, who identified herself as the driver's daughter in a comment left on The Batavian last night.

UPDATE: Dan Fischer at WBTA is developing the story further. He has more details and an audio interview with Tim Yaeger coming.

Car flys off Thruway into the woods

By Howard B. Owens

Reports are coming in that a vehicle flew off the Thurway at mile marker 400 and landed about 50 or 60 feet into the woods.

No serious injuries are reported. There were two people in the vehicle.

Initial reports said chain saws would be required to cut trees away to get the people out of the car, but that turned out not to be the case. However, the tow company that will extricate the car may need chain saws, according to reports.

State Police are walking the driver and passenger out of the woods now.

UPDATE: No injuries reported.

Accident Reports: Tractor pulling wagon full of 17 people has trailer hitch break

By Howard B. Owens

Seventeen people, including 11 children, managed to avoid injury after a tractor ride went wrong Sunday night when the trailer hitch broke on the tractor pulling them down Conlon Road.

Gregory J. Luetticke, 46, of Le Roy, who was driving the tractor, did report an injury. He complained of neck pain.

Luetticke was reportedly pulling the wagon down a grass laneway on Conlon when the hitch broke. Luetticke said when the hitch broke, he steered to the west and lost control of the tractor, causing the tractor to overturn. Luetticke was ejected from the tractor and came to rest to the northwest. The wagon stopped moving.

In the wagon were Billie J. Kennedy, 31, Alexa M. Kennedy, 6, Madailein M. Blonski, 5, Ashley Bottonfield, 10, Erica Ulrich, 15, Amber A. Williams, 8, Dominque M. Williams, 14, Mariah A. Williams, 12, Teresa Annecharicle, 35, Tyler M. Annecharicle, 35, Isabell Annecharicle, 10, Nicholas Rogers, 6, Zachary M. Rogers, 10, Colleen M. Rogowski, 39, Allison M. Rogowski, 8 and Lauren E. Wood, 8.

Bradley Brooks, 25, of Spencerport, failed to negotiate a turn on South Lake Road in Bergen Sunday afternoon and drove his motorcycle into a ditch. Brooks was ejected from the bike. He was transported to Strong Memorial Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Brian D. Whitmore, 25, of Darien Center, suffered a fracture in his arm and collar bone after striking a deer while driving his motorcycle eastbound on Conway Road in Darien. The accident occurred Wednesday about 9 p.m.

No injuries were reported in a single-vehicle accident last night at 11:30 p.m. on Quinlan Road in Le Roy.

The 1996 Dodge coupe was driven by Matthew Derooy, 20, of LeRoy. Deborah J. Derooy, 24, was a passenger.

Derooy reportedly driving the car westbound on Quinlan Road when he drove off the north shoulder and hit a support wire to a National Grid utility pole. The vehicle then continued through a field and landed in a ditch.

No apparent cause is cited in the accident report.

Fender bender on Main Street

By Howard B. Owens

I happened by this small accident on Main Street in Batavia just a minute or so after it happened. It occurred about 20 minutes ago.  The street is already clear.

Roll over accident Saturday leads to minor injuires

By Howard B. Owens

The driver and one passenger suffered unspecified facial injuries and complained of pain following a roll over accident on Route 5 on Saturday near Buckley Road in Stafford.

The driver, L.M. Schellenberg, 18, of Le Roy, said she served to avoid a deer when she lost control of the vehicle.  The car was a 2001 Chevy sedan.

Her passenger also reportedly injured in the accident was 16-year-old D.M. Schellenberg, also of Le Roy. 

Both were taken by ambulance to an area hospital for treatment.

Mail truck rear ended at Main and Center

By Howard B. Owens

Just outside the office of The Batavian, a red Cadillac rear ended a U.S. Postal Service delivery truck. There are no apparent injuries. The vehicles have just been moved from the intersection. I didn't see the accident, only heard it.

Driver expected a right turn from a left turning car in Bethany accident

By Howard B. Owens

We have more information on an accident in Bethany we first reported yesterday afternoon.

There were apparently no serious injuries in the accident, which involved a driver following another car expecting the front car to make a right-hand turn on Bethany Center Road, when the car was actually turning left, according to State Police spokesperson Rebbecca Gibbons.

The first vehicle was driven by B.A. Pietrzykowski, 50, of Bethany. The second driver was Charles Fuller, 21, of Castile.

Fuller's car struck Pietrzykowski's vehicle and then drove off the road and hit a utility poll.

The police report hasn't been completed yet, Gibbons said, and it's unknown if any citations were issued.

Single car accident this morning reported in Pembroke

By Howard B. Owens

The teen-age driver a 1991 Dodge sedan suffered a minor injury in a single-vehicle accident this morning in Pembroke.

Genevieve K. Sprague, 18, complained of back pain after the accident at 2508 Route 5, 200 feet east of West Avenue.

For an unreported reason, Sprague drove the vehicle off the road, struck a utility poll and fence.

A passenger in the vehicle, Michelle Sprague, age unknown, was not hurt the crash.

Both women are from Batavia. The accident was reported at 6:28 a.m.

Vigil held Sunday in Pavilion for sisters killed in auto accident

By Howard B. Owens

Sarah and Gretchen Protulipac were popular with their classmates, who are shocked and saddened by their deaths Saturday in a two-car collision at Route 77 and Sumner Road, according to the Buffalo News.

Both girls were honor students and Pavilion Central School. About 100 students gathered there Sunday for a vigil, according to the News.

Sarah was a junior at Pavilion Central. Her sister was a sophomore. Both girls were well-liked honor students who were musically inclined, said Edward Orman, the school district’s superintendent. In fact, Sarah performed earlier this spring in Pavilion Central’s production of “Guys and Dolls.” She also took part in a talent show.

“She always tried to cheer people

up,” said Macy Penders, 16, who knew Sarah since second grade.

“She was a very sweet person,” said Brian Mogenhan, a senior at Pavilion Central who described Sarah as laid-back and compassionate.

Gretchen loved softball and volleyball, her friends recalled. But she wasn’t one of those overly competitive athletes.

The News reports that the girls were returning Saturday afternoon from Darien Lake, where they had gone to apply for summer jobs.

Pictures: Sarah, 17, top, and Gretchen, 16.

Motorcyclist suffers head injury in accident on Fox Road in Oakfield

By Howard B. Owens

A motorcyclist who reportedly was driving fast on Fox Road in the Town of Oakfield lost control of his bike and struck an embankment, ejecting the rider from his bike.

George Latko, of Perry, suffered a head injury and was taken by Mercy Flight to Erie County Medical Center.

The accident occurred Saturday night around 8:15 p.m.

The Sheriff's office is continuing its investigation and charges are pending.

Car strikes poll on Route 63 at Batavia-Oakfield Townline Road

By Howard B. Owens

A man from Hermitage, Penn., driving a 1996 Ford sedan reportedly didn't see a car ahead of him northbound on Route 63 and hit a utility poll after swerving to avoid rear-ending the lead car.

David M. Doxtater, 56, suffered minor cuts on his face, according to a police report.

The accident occurred at 10:05 a.m. at Route 63 and Batavia-Oakfield Townline Road.

National Grid was called to the scene to deal with the damaged utility poll.

The other vehicle, and no other vehicles were involved.

Deputy C.A. Parker investigated the accident.

Follow Up: Harley rider suffered leg injury in accident yesterday.

By Howard B. Owens

A driver pulling out of a parking lot at 189 Pearl St. reportedly failed to yield the right of way and collided with an Alden man driving a 2008 Harley-Davidson motorcycle.

Injured was Patrick G. Schwab, 42. He reportedly suffered a serious leg injury and was transported by ambulance to an area hospital. No further information on his injury is available.

The driver of the car, Lynn E. Sanders, 38, of Batavia, was cited.

The accident occurred at 3:24 p.m.

This is a follow up from a post we did yesterday.

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