Newfield, N.Y. — A terrible crash in Newfield occurred Wednesday when a vehicle crossed the centerline of Elmira Road and collided with a car going in the opposite direction, one witness said.
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Rick MacDonald and his wife were driving north on Route 13/Elmira Road at around 4 p.m. Wednesday afternoon when a vehicle about 100 feet ahead of them was hit by a vehicle going south.
The vehicle in the southbound lane suddenly swerved into the northbound lane and crashed head-on with another vehicle, according to MacDonald.
“The woman driving in front of us did not have the slightest chance to avoid the accident,” MacDonald said. “Two seconds later, and it could have been us.”
The Tompkins County 911 Dispatch Center said that three people have been taken to the hospital — two by ambulance and one via a medical helicopter. There’s no word yet on their status. Route 13 remains closed and will remain so for several hours, according to dispatchers.
The account from authorities matched what MacDonald said. He said he saw the terrible injuries.
“The woman was driving and swerved into the northbound lane, at which point the accident was unavoidable,” MacDonald said. “I know this for a fact, as we were in the next northbound car behind the crash.”
Here’s the account MacDonald recalled of the incident:
After the crash, MacDonald got out of his car and called 911. Someone from MD Automotive also called 911, MacDonald said.
Several citizens on the road went to the cars where the victims were trapped. “They couldn’t get the door open,” MacDonald said.
MacDonald added that someone approached with a hammer to try to get into the car. “There was no fire, fortunately,” MacDonald said.
MacDonald said he didn’t think the victims should be moved given the extent of the injuries in the crash.
An ambulance arrived about five minutes after the accident. MacDonald said that the windshields had been badly damaged and that the front ends of the vehicles had been “smashed in.”
We will provide updates as we learn them.