Friday, March 20, 2015

BRINKS TRUCK CRUSHES ONTO ROUTE 78 PILLAR IN NJ; 2 INJURED






 

MARCH 12, 2015

UNION TWP., NEW JERSEY

State Police have identified the driver and passenger injured in an armored truck accident on Route 78 on yesterday, March 11.

They say Sharayah Gardner, 25, of Newark was driving the Brinks armored truck when she apparently lost control of the vehicle and ran off the road, hitting the pillar of the Rupell Road overpass at mile marker 14.5 at 8:58 a.m.
Passenger Fidel Martinez, 55, of Harrison received serious injuries in the wreck and was entrapped in the car, requiring extraction by emergency responders, according to spokesperson Sgt. First Class Gregory Williams. Both the driver and passenger were Brinks employees, Trooper Brian Walsh from the Perryville station said yesterday.

Trooper Stephen Kempinski is being credited by police for helping to save Martinez's life by applying a tourniquet to his right leg and covering Martinez with jackets in the truck. Walsh, who also responded to the scene that morning, said the victim's right leg was broken and his head was also bleeding after he hit a piece of metal in the truck when it crashed. Williams noted that Kempinski "did an outstanding job," for helping the victim.

The passenger was transported by NorthSTAR helicopter to St. Luke's Hospital in Bethlehem and was listed in critical condition yesterday.

Williams said diesel fuel was spilled as a result of the crash and the county Hazmat team was called in to clean it up.

He said neither the driver nor the passenger was wearing seatbelts at the time of the accident and there were no alcohol or drugs involved in the accident. Both lanes of Route 78 were closed during the accident. 

The truck was towed from the scene around 1:15 p.m. and the accident was cleared at 2:20 p.m., Williams said. He added that the accident is still under investigation.

No seatbelts, losing control of the Brinks truck because probably going too fast:  this driver is out of luck and out of job.
Source: www.nj.com