Richland Traffic Blotter: GMC Envoy Hits Pole; Three Accidents on Snowy Roads

Vehicles Collide at Northtowne Square and Route 8

A vehicle pulling out of Northtowne Square in Richland Township at about 11:15 p.m. Jan. 5 collided with a 2009 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck traveling on Route 8, police said.

Tami Fitzgerald, 44, of Harmony told police she had the green light as she traveled south on Route 8 and was unable to stop for the 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt that pulled out from Northtowne Square, according to the report.

Joseph Rockwell, 27, of Valencia said he had a green light and was trying to make a left turn north onto Route 8 from Northtowne Square when his vehicle was hit, said police.

No injuries were reported.

Both vehicles were towed by .

GMC Envoy Hits Pole, Triggering Power Outage

A 2009 GMC Envoy hit a pole on Richland Road at about 8:45 p.m. Jan. 4, causing an eight-hour power outage for local residents, police said.

Anne Pfennigwerth, 52, of Gibsonia was traveling north on Richland Road when she undercompensated for a curve near Shepard Road, lost control of her vehicle, and struck the pole, the police report stated.

"The operator was unable to say what caused her to lose control and thought that ice on the roadway may have caused the crash,” according to the police report. However, the investigating officer did not observe any ice, the report adds.

A utility pole was sheared off and blocked both lanes of the road, the police report said.

Duquesne Light, Consolidated Communications and Armstrong utilities were on the scene to repair the pole and replace their lines, police said.

responded, but did not transport anyone to the hospital.

The GMC Envoy was towed to 

Snow-Covered Roads at Root of Three Accidents

Three traffic accidents in Richland Township had something in common Jan. 3 — snow.

Brandi Potts, 19, of Arnold was driving her 1998 Ford Escort south on Route 8 at about 5 p.m. when it began to slide on the snow–covered highway as it approached Grandview Crossing Drive, police said.

Potts "was unable to stop or make the right turn onto GrandviewCrossing Drive and continued to travel straight," the police report states. The Ford then drove over a concrete traffic island, hit a crosswalk-control post and stopped, police said.

The Ford Escort was driven off the traffic island; it had several small scratches on its front bumper, said police.

Anna Spirk, 20, of Springdale ran off Grandview Crossing Drive at about 2 p.m. and struck a guardrail, said police. Spirk's 2002 Ford Taurus had light damage to the passenger side, stretching from the front bumper and headlight to the rear-quarter panel, the police report stated.

Gibsonia resident Gloria Leszczynski, 64, told police she was traveling southbound on Community Center Drive at about 3 p.m. when she lost control of her vehicle and hit a fire hydrant, knocking it over, said police.

responded to repair the damaged hydrant, police said.