WARSAW – A driver whose brakes reportedly failed is in stable condition at Strong Memorial Sunday, a day after the vehicle she was driving crossed an intersection, into a yard and hit a building at Humphrey’s Hollow Apartments, 50 Oak St .
Warsaw Police Chief Peter Hoffmeister said Sunday morning that Dana Smith, 25, of Perry, was first taken by Perry’s ambulance to Wyoming County Community Health System and then to Strong , possibly by doctors in Wyoming County, Hoffmeister said.
Smith’s injuries are not life-threatening, Hoffmeister said. She was due to undergo further treatment on Monday.
“She has a fractured femur and a dislocated left hip, and internal bleeding,” he said. “Looks like she’s going to be here for a little while.”
Around 1:30 p.m. Saturday, a witness called the county’s 911 Dispatch about the crash, Hoffmeister said.
“Warsaw Police Department, Warsaw Fire Department and Perry Ambulance responded, Wyoming County Physicians also responded. Our officer arrived on scene, located a vehicle north of Humphrey Hollows, probably 75 yards from the road. The vehicle hit the building, apartment A,” he said.
Hoffmeister said, according to witnesses and Smith, she was driving east on Summit Avenue on Saturday afternoon.
“It’s a very steep road, straight down the hill. She was coming down the hill and she said she lost her brakes,” he said. Hoffmeister said Smith tried the emergency brake and it didn’t work.
“She went through the stop sign at Summit Avenue and Oak Street. She veered off the road and hit the Apartment A building in Humphrey’s Hollow,” he said. “I thought she was going at least 50 mph at the time of the collision.”
There were no close calls involving the Kia and other vehicles, Hoffmeister said.
“It’s a pretty quiet street. We were lucky there,” he said.
After the impact, the Perry resident was trapped in the Kia, which sustained extensive front end damage, the police chief said.
“We couldn’t open the doors to get her out. Warsaw firefighters actually pulled her out of the vehicle with the Jaws of Life,” Hoffmeister said. “It took some time to make sure the vehicle was not on fire. It was just antifreeze leaking onto the engine and smoking. It appeared to two witnesses that the vehicle was on fire, but it was not.
Warsaw firefighters stabilized Smith and opened the doors.
“Once the doors were closed, they were able to easily get her out of the vehicle and take her to the hospital. It took them about 20 minutes to get through it with the jaws of life,” he said.
Apartment A is one of four Humphrey’s Hollow apartment buildings, the police chief said. He said the 2015 Kia hit Apt. 4, a lower apartment. Hoffmeister said there was quite a bit of damage.
“He pushed the brick wall into the apartment, which damaged the structure. We had to move two tenants from a lower and an upper apartment,” he said. “Fortunately, at the time of the accident, no one was home.”
The only tenant of Apt. 4 has been moved, as has the sole tenant of Apt. 6, the upper apartment where the Kia hit the building.
“We are working with Wyoming County Code Enforcement to make sure the building is safe for people. We will be working with the property owners this week on this (building damage assessment).
Warsaw police remained at the scene for about an hour and a half on Saturday, Hoffmeister said. County code enforcement was still on the scene with assistant fire chief Joshua Crane when police left.
“We just helped secure the departments that were moved and that was it,” Hoffmeister said.
The Warsaw police investigation is continuing, he said on Sunday. Tickets may possibly be issued.
“We will discuss it (the charges) once the investigation is complete,” Hoffmeister said.
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