MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT WITH ENTRAPMENT
Brunswick Pike and Whitehead Road,
Lawrence Township
On the afternoon of Monday, January 12, 2004, Lawrence Road Fire Co. personnel extricated a man whose car was involved in a three-vehicle collision at the intersection of Brunswick Pike and Whitehead Road.
The accident, reported at 3:18 p.m., involved a 2003 Lexus driven by a 28-year-old man from Garden Grove, Calif.; a 1997 Nissan operated by a 25-year-old man from Hamilton Township; and a 2003 Ford driven by a 49-year-old man from Pemberton Borough, according to police reports.
Police said they believed that the 28-year-old California man was trying to cross Brunswick Pike after using the jughandle from the pike’s southbound lanes; the 28-year-old Hamilton man was heading northbound on Brunswick Pike; and the 49-year-old Pemberton Borough man was getting ready to enter Brunswick Pike from the westbound lanes of Whitehead Road. All three drivers were alone in their cars.
It was unclear which driver had the right of way at the intersection.
The first two drivers were both hurt, while the 49-year-old man was not, according to police.
Lawrence First Aid Squad ambulance crew was dispatched and arrived on the scene to find that the doors to the Lexus were jammed shut, with the injured 28-year-old driver trapped inside. As a result, at 3:23 p.m., Lawrence Control toned out Slackwood Fire Co., along with Lawrence Road’s Rescue 22 and Rescue 129 from the first aid squad.
Deputy Chief Wayne Hannon, in Car 22-1, and Slackwood Deputy Chief Michael Oakley both responded at 3:24 p.m., followed by Engine 21-1 and Rescue 22 both at 3:25 p.m. and then Engine 21-3 at 3:26 p.m.
Rescue 22 was commanded by Capt. Chris Pangaldi, driven by Paid Driver Robert Santello, and crewed by Lt. Michael Byrd, Lt. Shaun Dlabik, Lt. Michael Ratcliffe, Junior Ff. Steve Hodgdon and Junior Ff. R.J. Laird.
Oakley arrived on location at 3:25 p.m. and established command. Engine 21-1 and Rescue 22 both arrived at 3:28 p.m. The arrival times for Hannon and Engine 21-3 were not logged.
While Slackwood firefighters stood by with a charged 1.75-inch hoseline, Rescue 22’s crew stabilized the Lexus and then went to work with their Holmatro tools to entirely remove the front passenger’s side door of the car to allow EMS personnel access to the trapped driver. The man was fully extrrcated from the vehicle by 3:42 p.m.
The 28-year-old man, whose injuries were to his knees and lower legs, was transported by ambulance to Capital Health System at Fuld hospital. The other injured driver (the 25-year-old driver of the Nissan) was also taken to Fuld hospital with injuries that were not life threatening.
Rescue 22 cleared the scene by 3:47 p.m. and was back in quarters by 3:52 p.m. Engine 21-1 remained on location until 4:11 p.m. to assist police and tow truck operators.
