Car collided with semi, caused injures

NEWSTEAD, N.Y. (WIVB) - It happened Thursday evening, when a grandmother turned into the path of a tractor trailer on Route 5 with three children in the car. The resulting crash has taken a terrible toll in Newstead.

A grandmother was running errands with three small children when the glaring sun led to this terrible crash and the conditions of the victims remains unknown.

Just after 5 p.m., investigators say a grandmother and three children were traveling on South Newstead Road in Newstead.

"She made a left hand turn, directly in front of the tractor trailer. Tractor trailer struck it on the driver's side, and then continued on and struck a third vehicle, which was traveling westbound on Main Street," explained Lt. Thomas Daugherty of the Erie County Sheriff's office.

Newstead Fire Chief Doug Jones said, "Two sets of Jaws were used on the primary car to get the four patients out, or two of the four patients out of that car."

The vehicle that was initially struck by the tractor trailer suffered the most.

Lt. Daugherty said, "The driver was a 66-year-old grandmother, and one of the backseat passengers was an 8-year-old child."

The grandmother was taken to Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital with life-threatening injuries. Two of the children were flown by Mercy Flight to Children's Hospital, and one was driven by ambulance. Drivers of the other two vehicles are okay.

"The female driver of the Jeep sustained some minor injuries and was taken to ECMC. She's being evaluated there. The driver of the car carrier, the tractor trailer, was not injured," said Lt. Daugherty.

Skid marks on the road show that the tractor trailer driver tried to stop before striking the car.

Lt. Daugherty said, "Apparently the vehicle making a left hand turn westbound into the sun and never even saw the tractor trailer coming towards it."

The status of the grandmother, 8-year-old, and other two children are not being released at this time.