Ambulance Crash Log
Ambulance, pickup truck collide - Perryopolis, Pennsylvania

Aug 6, 2004, 11:48

A two-vehicle accident on Route 51 at Randall's Restaurant sent a Belle Vernon couple, a Uniontown Firemen's Ambulance crew and a 17-year-old patient to hospitals Thursday evening.

Police Sgt. Dan Ladowitz said two helicopters flew the unidentified elderly Belle Vernon couple to a Pittsburgh Hospital after the 5:55 p.m. accident, which closed all four lanes of Route 51 for about 30 minutes and stalled traffic in the northbound lane for about two hours.

Ladowitz said the accident happened when the Belle Vernon couple attempted to cross all four lanes of Route 51 and was hit by the ambulance, which was northbound with lights and siren activated.

"The male driver of the truck was ejected from the vehicle during the accident and the female passenger had to be cut out or extricated from of the vehicle," Ladowitz said.

He said he was unclear what happened to the unidentified ambulance driver, paramedic Lee McClinton, 32, of Uniontown and the 17-year-old male patient, who was being transported from Uniontown Hospital to Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh.
McClinton's parents, Al and Patty McClinton of Perryopolis, said their son called them from a cell phone and said that he was in the accident and that his shoulder was a little sore but he was all right.

"He said that they were going to take him, the EMT and the patient back to Uniontown Hospital and he wanted to let us know so that we wouldn't worry, because he knows that I work at Randall's and he was afraid that someone would call me," said Patty McClinton.

Al McClinton said a traffic light needs to be installed at Randall's Restaurant, near the intersection with Rehoboth Church Road.

"Out of all of the businesses here Randall's employs the most people," said McClinton. "Other than on Sunday when the flea market is in full swing I would have to say that Randall's Restaurant does the most business in this particular area. We definitely need one or two traffic lights here."

Patty McClinton agreed: "I've been a cook at Randall's for 20 years, and I couldn't tell you how many accidents we have seen over the years. Something needs to be done, and I think a traffic light could be the answer."

Chuck Estoka said he witnessed Thursday evening's accident while sitting on his porch near the restaurant.

"I saw the ambulance coming down the highway with the lights and siren going, and I saw it swerve like it was trying to miss the truck," said Estoka. "I couldn't tell if it was a truck or a car. All I could see was something red and then the crash."
Estoka said after the crash the truck turned completely around and was airborne. "This is a terrible area," he said.

Crews from Washington Township, Fayette City and Southwest Regional police departments, Perry Township, Fayette City and Washington Township fire departments and EMS units from Brownsville and Perryopolis assisted at the scene.

photo: Christine McCormick/Herald-Standard