Crash seriously injures 3
Emergency crews on scene of collision for 4 hoursBy Amanda Clegg, aclegg@altoonamirror.com
Article Photos
Three people were rushed to an area hospital in serious condition after two vehicles collided and one ended up on its roof on Plank Road Monday evening.
Lakemont Volunteer Fire Department Chief Tom Sral said he believed all three people suffered serious injuries. The injured were taken by ambulance to Altoona Regional Health Center. Sral said one of the victims was trapped inside and one was either ejected or had pulled themselves from the flipped vehicle.
The fender of a Jeep Cherokee was smashed into the front end of the flipped sport utility vehicle resting atop a triangular curb barrier separating the entrance and exit of the Logan Valley Mall near an Applebee's Restaurant sign.
A double-sided sign reading yield on one side and do not enter on the other poked out from underneath the flipped vehicle with a Juniata College license plate. A single CD glinted silver among the broken pieces of vehicles scattered along the roadway.
Sral said Logan Township Police will recreate the crash because of its seriousness. Emergency crews were on scene until about 9:45 p.m. The crash occurred about 5:30 p.m.
Sral said the flipped vehicle was leaking gas into the passenger side and the fluid was running onto the roadway.
Patches of people scattered throughout the mall parking lot watched as fire and police crews worked to extricate one of the injured. People snapped photos with cell phones and digital cameras, inching at times too close to the wreckage, Sral said.
He said crowds are a problem at times and people need to realize they could interfere or make things worse.
''If [they're] not in the situation to help, they can become a part of the problem,'' he said, adding that fluids leaking at the scene of an accident can pose a danger.
Other bystanders - like a man with his arm draped protectively around the shoulder of a woman - stood back and took in the upsetting scene.
''You wonder why I'm afraid to start driving,'' a girl said to a nearby woman as they surveyed the damage. Another young blonde woman cried on a strip of grass running near the roadway while an older dark-haired woman held her.
Lakemont, Greenwood, Kittaning Trail and Duncansville volunteer fire departments responded to the scene.
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Youngandwise
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10-08-08 1:42 PM
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steelpony--let me apologize on behalf of all the uncompassionate people commenting on this. You are going through enough already with your son being far from home and in the hosital. I am sorry that insensitive people feel the need to make themselves feel better by putting others down. I pray that your son recovers quickly and does not carry any guilt for something he did not cause. God bless you and your family.
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steelpony
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10-08-08 11:09 AM
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No read again or look at the pic,the Jeep is on all fours--it performed perfectly the air bags went off and there is very little encroachment into the passenger compartment--it saved my sons life.
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bballgirl2004
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10-08-08 9:00 AM
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Exactly my point...there is no one to blame and people should not worry about it unless your are involved. esatloonan- i agree with you too....its get pretty hectic at a scene. my dad has been in the fire service and ambulance service since i can remember...the last thing they need are ppl coming up to them asking questions and bothering them when they are trying to save people...
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maxnit
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10-07-08 11:46 PM
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I used to work at a business at that intersecton and i was always amazed at the countless accidents at that intersection at also at the intersection for the mall and cracker barrell. I think both intersections need some investigation before we have more people killed or injured .
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COOLCAT
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10-07-08 11:46 PM
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MY HEART GOES OUT TO ALL INVOLVED I TOO WAS INVOLVED IN A VERY SIMULAR ACCIDENT THIS YEAR THIS WAS MY BEST FREINDS SON WHO I LOVE DEARLY SHE LIVES IN ALTOONA AND HAS BEEN BY THIS BOYS SIDE FROM THE START . MY PRAYS TO U TONY AND LOVE U VON CATHY
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moco2049
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10-07-08 10:43 PM
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I am a mother of a northern bedford student. I think that you all should just think about what you are saying. A young girl lost her life. All the arguing, and finger pointing in the world will not bring this girl back. As a parent of a teenage daughter, I can only imagine how I would feel, if someone told me my daughter was dead. Somehow I dont think that I would care "who was first at the mall" Only that my baby was gone.
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EXAltoonan
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10-07-08 10:33 PM
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I feel very sorry for all of those who were involved with this incident, and please keep the firefighters and EMS people in your prayers. We spend our time to help others when they need it and many times when we witness these incidents, we have to carry the burden of what we see, many times for a long time. Dealing with a stressful accident or seeing people mangled in a car and you do everything you can to save them, and still you are unable too really tugs at your heart.
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chicksdigmudtoo
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10-07-08 10:33 PM
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My heart goes out to all involved in this accident. Over the past year I have watched my grandfather survive and recover from a near fatal accident as well as my brother recover from a very serious motorcycle accident. Neither of them were at fault during those accidents, but it doesn't matter. Seeing your loved ones suffer though recovery is very difficult. Stay stong, steelpony, your son is going to have a long road and will need a lot of encouragement. Be sure to thank God every day that he is still here with you, it truly is a gift. My heart goes out to the young girl who lost her life. May peace and comfort be with her family.
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EXAltoonan
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10-07-08 10:31 PM
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I want to thank you firemansmom for your comment. I was a firefighter in Logan township for 11 years until I moved, In fact my company was at the scene. I have been on many incidents throughout that 11 years and have seen many horrible sites. It is true that many times bystanders merely just being curious get in the way or too close to the action. I feel bad that in today's society everyone needs to know everything about everyone. Many times while operating at an acident scene you have people rushing you while you are trying to work and ask "What Happened?" Or when you are trying to direct traffic away from a scene and people continue to bug you with questions and then get rude when you don't provide any information.
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xblaqkromance
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10-07-08 9:07 PM
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I'm a Senior at Tussey, and the teacher injured was one of mine. It's a shame that people always find some way to blame one another directly or not. I didn't yet get to meet the foreign exchange student; she was coming to our school either this month or next. Either way, it's still a loss, and a sad one at that. I can remember just last Friday seeing her with our bandfront doing the Tequila. My prayers go out to the driver of the red jeep, as well as the family of the girl, and the teacher. Arguing about stop lights and who was first in line to get to the mall is pointless, as is pointing fingers. I'm extremely sad about what happened, and extremely disappointed in some of the people posting. My prayers go out to all.
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lambs1
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10-07-08 8:07 PM
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we have cameras on most red lights, beg to differ.. Spend a day in the morgue it's no picnic, it might change your outlook..
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bballgirl2004
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10-07-08 7:47 PM
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Ok. I hope they are all ok. I hope the family of the girl is ok! I know first hand what it is like to be on a scene of an accident. It is bad enough with all of the personnel there. They don't need nosey people people onlooking just to gawk! Would you want people looking at you if you were almost dead lying on the ground on a main road!?! I don't think so. Secondly, information of what happens to the individuals should be kept with the family doctors,nurses,personnel etc that were with them. You can not just blame one person for an accident and we do have cameras on most lights here. Needless to say this is a sad situation, there is a lot worse happening around the world and in our own community. Final thought, don't be in such a hurry to go places....because you never know what can happen.... But I do hope that the victims and their familys are doing better.
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Tuna83
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10-07-08 6:31 PM
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First and foremost Steel , i hope your son pulls through and heels up just fine. Im sure its gonna be hard to come to grips with the fact that it wasnt his fault. Now for what i really wanted to say.... YOU PEOPLE WILL ARGUE ABOUT ANYTHING !! JUST LET IT BE....MY GOD A POOR SOUL LOST HER LIFE AND ALL SOME OF YOU WANT TO DO IS START AN ARGUEMENT ????
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lambs1
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10-07-08 5:40 PM
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Thank you steelpony, that meerly was what I was insinuating with my post. It's a hurryup to get to nowhere here, not knowing the consequences of the poor driving habits this area has.. My thoughts and prayers will be with your son and your family. God will be over him throughout surgery. Stay strong. I was the victim of a very similar incident.
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steelpony
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10-07-08 5:29 PM
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Sorry I was not casting blame only facts since my son was driving the red Jeep---he is in surgery right now getting a rod and some screws and pins in his leg--the air bags saved his life---they have not told him the girl died because he is very upset worring about what happened to the other people even though they turned left in front of him--so be careful who you call sick---the sick part is drivers in your area run red lights and fail to yield far more then drivers in other states--that really bugged me when I lived there---here in Texas they have cameras at intersections to stop that---I feel very bad for the girl and her parents--one minute she is on the trip of a life time and now she is dead---but the facts are Logan twnshp police told him he was not at fault and by their measurments he was not speeding and could not have avoided the collision---my heart goes out to the parents of the girl--I can only imagine their feelings at this time
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bluewhiteblue
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10-07-08 4:25 PM
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I just talked to my mom, and she said the people in one of the vehicles, not sure which, were a teacher at Tussey Mountain High and an exchange student from France who was staying with the teacher and her family. I was told that the exchange student died this morning.
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firemansmom
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10-07-08 4:20 PM
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Remember to thank the fire companies and first responders for working so hard to save the victims of the crash. Sounds like our emergency personnel could use more cooperation from bystanders to stay clear and allow them to do their work without further injuries.
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NURS5044
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10-07-08 4:10 PM
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I also ask anyone that has an update on any of these individuals to let us know. I was at the hospital when the trauma call came in, and have been praying for them ever since.
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TheOneAndOnlySurge
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10-07-08 3:43 PM
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ImaBlogger, first I just wanted to say, well said. Second, if you have any additional information on the three individuals status, please let us know. Again, my prayers are with those victims and their families.
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citzenusa
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10-07-08 3:13 PM
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I just wanted to state I do have compassion for the the families that were involved, but the comment who made it to the mall first was an outrage.. after stating I will pray for them. My heart and prayers are out for the families and lose of the young girl.
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ImaBlogger
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10-07-08 2:15 PM
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You people...well people like lamb and steel...MAKE ME ABSOLUTELY SICK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Always casting blame...you morons...a young girl died in this accident. Why can't you just keep your ignorant comments to yourself...and post something useful to the families involved? O...nevermind...that would require compassion...something you obviously lack.
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lambs1
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10-07-08 1:26 PM
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citzen, no I did'nt have to be there. See this all the time, the daily way of driving. Some get lucky and some don't.
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citzenusa
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10-07-08 1:16 PM
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I do honestly pray that things are going to be ok, but comments like who made it to the mall first doesn't sound like a good prayer to me..I guess you needed to be there?
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steelpony
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10-07-08 11:16 AM
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This is what happens when you turn left in front of traffic ie the red jeep, according to witnesses and police the red jeep didnt have a chance.
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lambs1
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10-07-08 9:10 AM
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I pray everyone will be ok, just have to wonder which one had to be first in line to get to the mall though?
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