State Police officials were spending the first half of this week piecing together the parts of a puzzle created by a series of collisions that occurred Saturday morning in dense fog on a road near Clintonville.
Seven people were injured, at least five of them required hospital treatment, and one – possibly two – were taken to larger medical facilities for advanced help.
Troopers say the incidents began shortly after 9:30 AM Saturday when a minivan driven by 39 year-old Dana Coast, from Harrisville, crossed the center line of Route 208 and was struck by a pickup operated by 26 year-old Joshua Crissman, of Clintonville. Crissman approached Coast’s vehicle to offer assistance and was hit by a pickup driven by 58 year-old Leslie Hanna, from Harrisville.
Less than two minutes later, Hanna’s truck was struck from behind by a car driven by 50 year-old Richard Dick, from Clintonville. Finally, a response vehicle speeding to the scene, and driven by 19 year-old Brandon Rea, from Harrisville, slammed into Coast’s minivan.
Crissman, who by then was the pedestrian who was hit by a vehicle, received serious injuries and was taken to a Pittsburgh hospital. 43 year-old Lynn Rea, who was a passenger in the response vehicle, received what troopers termed “major” injuries. Coast, Dick and one of Dick’s passengers, 57 year-old Susan Nimitz, from Gallitzen, all sustained “moderate” injuries. Hanna and another of Dick’s passengers, 29 year-old Mervin Miller, from Harrisville, received minor injuries.
Police say Route 208 near the intersection with Rapp Road was closed for several hours after the accidents.
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