I-84 SUV Rollover Accident Causes Travel Delays

By Andrew Gorosko

A one-vehicle rollover accident, which occurred on westbound Interstate 84 during the evening rush period on Tuesday, December 14, sent the driver to Danbury Hospital to be checked for possible injuries and caused extended travel delays on the busy highway, officials said.

State police said that motorist Gayle Cohen, 59, of Danbury, who was driving a 2003 Buick Rendezvous sport-utility vehicle westward on I-84, about one mile east of Exit 9 at about 4:09 pm, lost control of the Buick while was she was passing another moving vehicle, and then traveled onto the road’s shoulder, went off the shoulder, climbed an embankment alongside the road and then rolled over. It is unclear how many times the vehicle rolled over.

The Buick came to rest right-side-up, positioned perpendicularly across the highway. There were no passengers in the vehicle.

In the area where the accident occurred, embankments slope upward away from both sides of the westbound lanes.

State police called for aid and Newtown Hook & Ladder and Hawleyville firefighters responded to the scene, as did the Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps.

Newtown Hook & Ladder First Assistant Chief Corey Robinson served as incident commander for firefighters at the accident. About 30 firefighters responded.

Firefighters were especially careful in removing the victim from the damaged vehicle to avoid any additional injuries, Mr Robinson said.

The roof of the vehicle had collapsed, requiring that roof pillars be removed in the extrication, he said. Firefighters also removed the rear hatch door of the SUV, he said.

During the course of the extrication, state police allowed one lane of westbound traffic to pass by the scene. Several state troopers responded to the crash.

Firefighters arrived in two rescue trucks, two pumper trucks, and private vehicles.

One of the difficulties that firefighters encountered on the call was getting through heavy interstate traffic on their way to the accident scene, Mr Robinson said.

After she was extricated from the Buick, ambulance staffers checked Ms Cohen and transported her to Danbury Hospital to be checked for pain, where she was treated and released, state police said.

State police issued her a warning for failure to stay in the established lane.