Extrication Required—

Town Line Accident Closes Road During Morning Rush

By Andrew Gorosko

Police report a two-vehicle accident on Mt Pleasant Road, about 200 feet east of the Bethel town line, at the start of the morning rush period on Thursday, August 18, that required a lengthy motorist extrication.

Police said motorist Joan Sexton, 61, of Waterbury, who was driving a 2002 Subaru Legacy station wagon, was traveling westward and was approaching the Bethel town line at about 7:11 am.

At that time, motorist Jeffrey Wilson, 37, of Danbury, who was driving a 2000 Dodge Avenger, was traveling eastward, police said.

For some reason, the Subaru entered the opposite travel lane and collided with the Dodge, police said. The left front ends of both vehicles collided, heavily damaging both.

Police said that a trapped Wilson needed to be cut out from the Dodge in a lengthy extrication project. The extrication conducted by Hawleyville and Stony Hill firefighters, as well as by Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps members, required about 45 minutes of work to free Wilson from the wreckage, police said. Wilson’s legs were pinned inside the auto after the impact.

Sexton received possible back and leg injuries; Wilson received possible leg, ankle, and facial injuries, police said. Both people were transported to Danbury Hospital by ambulance.

During the course of the incident, Mt Pleasant Road was closed to traffic for almost two hours, posing travel delays during the morning rush period. Police detoured traffic to alternates routes.

Besides Newtown police, Bethel police responded to the crash. Stony Hill volunteer ambulance corps members went to the scene, as did the regional paramedic.

Newtown police said the accident is under investigation.