Curious passerby spots accident victim in field off state Route 518
Trending
SUMMITVILLE -- Thanks to the sharp eyes and nagging curiosity of a Wellsville man, accident victim Kerri S. Thompson did not lie unattended in a cold, damp field Tuesday.
John Ross and his wife were traveling east on state Route 518 in Franklin Township at about 11:30 a.m. when he caught sight of a car off the left side of the road and down in the woods. As he continued eastbound down the road a few more yards he wondered about what he had spied and decided to turn around and go back to check it out.
As Ross got out of his car to check on the crash, he saw Thompson, 44, of Augusta, stumbling across the field and collapse down to her knees. Ross managed to get his coat under her as she laid down.
Calling for help, he also retrieved a couple of blankets from his car to keep her warm until help arrived. Ross was a little self conscious about being seen wearing pink, but as he explained he grabbed his wife's over jacket to keep warm since he had thrown his on the ground for Thompson.
Franklin Township firefighter Fred May was first to arrive followed by his assistant fire chief, Brad Burton, Chief Jeff Lewis and Chief Wayne Chamberlain with a couple of their firefighters from Salineville and West Point. North Star Critical care personnel transported Thompson to an area hospital.
Patrol Trooper Mike Smith said Thompson said she was wearing her seat belt and the airbags deployed in her 2014 Chevrolet Cruz.
There were no witnesses to the crash, but Smith said she was probably going at a pretty good clip judging by how far she traveled after leaving the road on the curve at the top of the hill. She will be cited for failure to control.