Traffic Blotter: Minor Distractions Drive Collisions

Traffic accidents throughout Pine and Richland townships the past week occurred on the community's major roadways -- Route 910, Route 19 and Route 8.

Drivers Look Away for ‘A Second’ and Crashes Occur

Two traffic accidents were reported last week after drivers took their eyes off the road “for a second,” police said.

Matthew Matus, 37, of Export was traveling east on Route 910 [Wexford Road] about 5:30 p.m. March 28 when he “looked away for a second, and when he looked up, traffic was stopped,” according to a Northern Regional Police Department report.

Matus hit the brakes but struck a 2005 Toyota Camry that Mary Butterfield, 49, of Gibsonia was driving, police said.

Butterfield told police she was stopped at the intersection with Lyndhurst Circle when her vehicle was struck from behind, police said. She complained of head and neck pain but refused medical treatment, the police report states.

Matus’ 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt had to be towed.

In a second incident, James Baselj, 43, of Pittsburgh was traveling south on Route 8 [William Flynn Highway] in the left lane about 6 p.m. March 27 when “he looked away for a second, and when he looked back to the road, [a 2009 Mitsubishi Outlander] was almost stopped," police said. Baselji applied the brakes but wasn’t able to stop in time, according to a police report.

John Ivey Jr., 43, of Gibsonia said he was waiting to turn left onto Ranalli Drive when he was struck from behind, police said.

Vehicles Collide on Wexford Road

A left turn onto Route 910 [Wexford Road] from Reynolds Road resulted in a crash April 2, according to a Northern Regional Police Department report.

Ronald Reha Jr., 18, of Wexford was traveling east on Wexford Road about 12:45 p.m. when a 2000 Toyota Avalon making a left turn from Reynolds Road pulled in front of him, police said.

David Martin, 64, of Wexford was driving that vehicle, police said.

Martin allegedly made the turn without proper clearance, according to the police report.

Reha had lacerations on his left arm, but he refused medical treatment, police said. His 2006 Nissan Altima had to be towed.

Lane Change Sets Off Three-Car Crash

A sudden lane change on Route 19 [Perry Highway] resulted in a three-car crash about 4 p.m. March 30, according to a Northern Regional Police Department report.

Northbound traffic on Perry Highway was slowing and stopping for a red traffic light at Wallace Road when Matthew Graves, 27, of Slippery Rock made a sudden lane change to the right turning lane, police said.

His 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt struck a 2005 Mini Cooper that Roger Halbert, 43, of Cranberry Township was driving. Halbert was already traveling in the right turn lane, police said.

Graves’ car continued traveling north and struck a 2000 Plymouth Neon that Rosemarie Nelson, 20, of Zelienople was driving as she was stopping for the red traffic signal, police said.

Graves’ and Halbert’s vehicles had to be towed.

Car Hits Stop Sign

A Gibsonia woman traveling east on Route 910 [Gibsonia Road] about 8 p.m. March 29 “failed to properly negotiate the left turn” onto Bauer Drive in Richland Township and struck a stop sign, according to a Northern Regional Police report.

Josephine Meinhardt, 72, of Gibsonia refused medical attention, and her 2004 Mercedes had minor damage, police said.