STATE OF VERMONT

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY

VERMONT STATE POLICE

 

NEWS RELEASE

MOTOR VEHICLE CRASH

 

CASE#: 20A504729                                        

RANK/TROOPER FULL NAME: Det Daniel Lynch

STATION: Derby                              

CONTACT#: 802 334 8881

 

DATE/TIME: 12.8.20, approx. 1115 hours

STREET: Champigny Hill Rd

TOWN: Morgan

LANDMARK AND/OR CROSS STREETS: VT Route 111

INTERSTATE MILE MARKER: NA

WEATHER:  Cold, recent snowfall

ROAD CONDITIONS: Slick, snow covered

 

VEHICLE #1

OPERATOR: Joseph Whitehill

AGE: 30

SEAT BELT? Y

CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Morgan, VT

 

VEHICLE YEAR: 2013

VEHICLE MAKE: Ford

VEHICLE MODEL: F350

DAMAGE TO VEHICLE #1: Front end

INJURIES: None

HOSPITAL: NA

 

 

SUMMARY OF CRASH:

 

On the aforementioned date and time, State Police Derby investigated a single vehicle crash at the above location.  Investigation at the scene indicated the operator of a 2013 ambulance-body Ford F350, owned by Newport Ambulance/Northern EMS and operated by EMT Joseph Whitehill, and containing a Paramedic and a patient, was traveling down the hill on said roadway towards Route 111 with its emergency lights activated.

 

Near the intersection of Rte 111, Whitehill encountered an oncoming vehicle, operated by Lorraine Lyon, age 61, of Derby.  Lyon’s vehicle was traveling in such a manner that it occupied both her lane of travel and the center of the roadway.  It should be noted at the time the roadway was slick with packed snow, and accumulated snow was located on the shoulders.

 

Whitehill turned his vehicle to avoid a head on collision with the vehicle in the roadway and subsequently lost traction in the accumulated snow at the sloped shoulder, leaving the roadway and coming to rest against a tree.  Speed was not a factor in this crash and evidence indicates all vehicles involved were traveling less than 20 MPH.

 

There were no injuries reported as a result of this crash.  The ambulance was towed from the scene.  The identity of the patient will not be released.  No criminal charges will be referred.

 

The cause of this crash is determined to be vehicle 1 leaving the roadway resulting from evasive action to avoid an imminent collision.  Secondary factors are slick road surface and weather conditions.