The Seneca County Sheriff’s Office provided an update on the fatal accident that shut down part of State Route 318 in Seneca County for several hours on Thursday.
According to a news release, around 10:50 a.m. deputies and investigators responded to the area of Route 318 just west of Gravel Road in the Town of Tyre for a personal injury crash involving three vehicles.
A westbound vehicle being operated by Deborah L. Patsos, 75, of Waterloo crossed the center line on a curve and struck an eastbound tractor-trailer head-on. The tractor-trailer was being operated by Vitaliy Pratsovnik, 44, of Parma, Ohio. Pratsovnik attempted to take evasive action to avoid the collision, but was unsuccessful.
Following the initial collision, Patsos’ vehicle was struck by another vehicle that was traveling westbound on Route 318. The third vehicle was operated by Michael A. Janes, 58, of Camden, New York.
Due to the severity of injuries sustained in the accident, Patsos was pronounced deceased at the scene by Seneca County Coroner Keith Jay.
The other two drivers were checked over by North Seneca Ambulance at the scene, but declined medical attention.
All three vehicles suffered extensive damage and were towed from the scene. The Sheriff’s Office Accident Reconstruction Team responded to the scene to determine the cause of the accident.
The Clyde Fire Department, Seneca Falls Fire Department, Waterloo Fire Department, Border City Fire Department, and Seneca County Fire Coordinator’s Office also responded to the scene.
The Sheriff’s Office was additionally assisted by Seneca County E-911, Seneca Falls Police Department, New York State Police, and the New York State Department of Transportation.
A portion of State Route 318 was shut down in both directions for several hours while the scene was being investigated and cleared. The accident remains under investigation.
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