Head-on crash injures four; one taken to trauma center

By FRED MILLER (fmiller@reviewonline.com)

New Manchester firefighters cut the roof off this late-model Cavalier to make it easier to extricate the young woman who was a front-seat passenger in a two-car accident Sunday. (Photo by Fred Miller)

NEW MANCHESTER — A head-on collision at the dangerous intersection of Gas Valley Road and Route 8 sent four people to the hospital late Sunday, one with injuries serious enough to require transfer to a trauma center.

Matt Davidson, a front-seat passenger in an older model Baretta driven by his girlfriend, Melissa Wells, was transported by ground ambulance to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital after treatment at East Liverpool City Hospital. Stormy weather kept the medical helicopters from flying out of Pittsburgh, hospital officials and firefighters said.

Expected to be admitted for unspecified injuries at City Hospital was an unidentified young woman who was the front-seat passenger in a later model Cavalier driven by Mary Satler of East Liverpool.

The point of impact appeared to be to the front passenger side area of both small cars.

Satler was out of her vehicle and walking around when the first emergency vehicles arrived. Airbags were seen to have deployed for both her and her passenger, but there did not appear to be an airbag where Davidson was seated.

The Hancock County emergency dispatcher got the initial report at 8:10 p.m. Sunday.

New Manchester volunteer firefighters cut the roof off the Cavalier not because the female passenger was trapped, but to allow her to be extricated with less twisting, firefighter Chad Lamp explained. Firefighters briefly covered the girl with a sheet to protect her from breaking glass as the windshield was removed.

Hancock County deputies at the scene said it appeared the Satler vehicle was coming out of Gas Valley Road and the Wells car was traveling on Route 8, but they got conflicting evidence of whether the Baretta was north- or southbound.

New Cumberland, Chester-Newell, LifeTeam and Tri-County ambulances were all at the scene and transported their patients to East Liverpool City Hospital, but it appeared only Davidson and the young woman in the Satler car actually required treatment.

New Manchester firefighters initially called for a medical helicopter to evacuate patients from the scene, but were told helicopters weren’t flying out of Pittsburgh because of the stormy weather.

Hancock deputies, who said the intersection is one of the more dangerous in the county, expected to complete the accident report today.

Section: News    Posted: 8/28/2006