WILSON – Speed is being investigated as a factor in a three car crash that killed two Wilson drivers just before 4 p.m. today on Wilson-Burt Road.
“That distance [of the crash pattern] between 400 to 500 feet at the crash scene indicates the chance that there was speeding, plus the damage to the cars was catastrophic,” Niagara County Sheriff James R. Voutour said.
According to a preliminary investigation, an unidentified Ransomville man, in a large pickup truck was driving eastbound in the 4800 block of Wilson-Burt Road, between Maple and North Beebe roads when he rear-ended a tan Buick LeSabre, being driven by a Village of Wilson woman, causing her car to cross over into the westbound lane and roll over, cross a ditch and land several feet off the road, according to Voutour.
The Village of Wilson woman was removed from her car, but she died shortly later in Eastern Niagara Hospital in Newfane.
The force of the crash also caused the pickup to cross into the westbound lane, where it struck another vehicle, a blue four door Saturn. The pickup struck the driver’s side of the westbound car, killing an unidentified Wilson man at the scene said Voutour.
“It looked like he saw the accident coming at him and was pretty close to stopped when he was hit,” Voutour said.
While both cars were significantly damaged the 3/4 ton pickup had only front end damage and the driver was conscious at the scene and able to walk away from the crash. He was being treated at Eastern Niagara Hospital in Newfane for minor injuries, according to Voutour.
Voutour said both sheriff investigators and the district attorney’s office were called to the hospital.
He said the crash was not alcohol-related, but investigators are looking at everything else.
“That’s why the accident investigation unit is here,” he said.
“If he was under the influence this could be charged as a homicide, but speed alone is hard to charge.” Voutour said. “But it’s not impossible. That’s why the [district attorney] is looking at this.”
Four volunteer fire departments, Wilson No. 1, South Wilson, Miller Hose and Olcott, assisted at the crash scene.
email: nfischer@buffnews.com
“That distance [of the crash pattern] between 400 to 500 feet at the crash scene indicates the chance that there was speeding, plus the damage to the cars was catastrophic,” Niagara County Sheriff James R. Voutour said.
According to a preliminary investigation, an unidentified Ransomville man, in a large pickup truck was driving eastbound in the 4800 block of Wilson-Burt Road, between Maple and North Beebe roads when he rear-ended a tan Buick LeSabre, being driven by a Village of Wilson woman, causing her car to cross over into the westbound lane and roll over, cross a ditch and land several feet off the road, according to Voutour.
The Village of Wilson woman was removed from her car, but she died shortly later in Eastern Niagara Hospital in Newfane.
The force of the crash also caused the pickup to cross into the westbound lane, where it struck another vehicle, a blue four door Saturn. The pickup struck the driver’s side of the westbound car, killing an unidentified Wilson man at the scene said Voutour.
“It looked like he saw the accident coming at him and was pretty close to stopped when he was hit,” Voutour said.
While both cars were significantly damaged the 3/4 ton pickup had only front end damage and the driver was conscious at the scene and able to walk away from the crash. He was being treated at Eastern Niagara Hospital in Newfane for minor injuries, according to Voutour.
Voutour said both sheriff investigators and the district attorney’s office were called to the hospital.
He said the crash was not alcohol-related, but investigators are looking at everything else.
“That’s why the accident investigation unit is here,” he said.
“If he was under the influence this could be charged as a homicide, but speed alone is hard to charge.” Voutour said. “But it’s not impossible. That’s why the [district attorney] is looking at this.”
Four volunteer fire departments, Wilson No. 1, South Wilson, Miller Hose and Olcott, assisted at the crash scene.
email: nfischer@buffnews.com