Town of New Hartford NEW YORK

TOWN of NEW HARTFORD

ONEIDA COUNTY

NEW HARTFORD POLICE DEPARTMENT

32 KELLOGG ROAD, NEW HARTFORD, NEW YORK 13413-2850

 Telephone: 1-315-733-6666

Fax: 1-315-724-8618

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January 27, 2010

UTICA MAN SUFFERS SERIOUS INJURIES IN ACCIDENT

Driver Ejected & Becomes Trapped Under Car

New Hartford Police are investigating a one-car accident that occurred on Higby Road near White Pine Road Wednesday morning at 3:55 a.m. The accident resulted in serious injuries to the driver.

Eliezar Lopez, age 40, of Nichols Street Utica, was driving a 2002 Ford Explorer northerly on Higby Road when he lost control of the vehicle. The car skidded about 155 feet and struck a National Grid utility pole snapping it in half. Lopez’s vehicle continued about 85 feet and struck a large tree. After impacting with the tree the vehicle flipped onto it’s side and slid about 25 feet before flipping back onto its wheels and coming to rest in the road. After striking the tree, the driver’s door came open and Lopez was ejected from the vehicle and tossed onto the roadway. The vehicle came to rest on top of Lopez.

About 20 firefighters from the New Hartford Fire Department responded to the scene. Firefighters worked about 20 minutes to free Lopez from beneath the vehicle. Firefighters employed airbags and jacks to lift the vehicle off of Lopez. The extrication was complicated by the fact that one of Lopez’s legs had become entangled in the undercarriage of the vehicle. After being freed, Lopez was transported to St. Elizabeth Medical Center where he was treated for a head injury, fractured orbital bone and jaw, a crushing injury to his right leg, a possible broken pelvis, rib fractures and 2nd and 3rd degree burns to his abdomen. The burns resulted from contact with the exhaust system while trapped under the vehicle. Lopez was transferred to SUNY Upstate Hospital in Syracuse for further treatment of his injuries. There is no indication that a seatbelt was being worn by Lopez at the time of the accident.

Lopez was conscious during the extrication and was able to tell investigating officers that he lost control of his car after a deer ran in front of him and he swerved to avoid it.

The crash resulted in electrical power being interrupted in the Higby Road and Chapman Road area. Higby Road was closed to traffic for about three hours while the accident scene was being processed and while National Grid crews worked to restore power.

Lopez works as a deliveryman for the Utica Observer Dispatch. At the time of the accident he was driving to the Forest Road area of New Hartford to begin delivering the newspaper.

Contact: Sgt. Robert Philo, 315/733-6666

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