Traffic Blotter: Police In Right Place, Right Time

Where is a police officer when you need one? These Northern Regional officers were just where they needed to be.

Accident Occurs in Front of Police Officer

 A 65-year-old Valencia woman was taken to the hospital as the result of an accident that occurred in front of a Northern Regional Police officer, according to a police report.

Northern Regional’s Officer Scott Barlett was on patrol about 10:30 a.m. June 3 when the accident occurred at the intersection of Route 8 and Grandview Crossing Drive, the report states.

“While on patrol, I was waiting to exit Grandview Crossing Drive onto Route 8 south,” his report states. “I viewed this motor vehicle accident from my position on Grandview Crossing.”

A 2004 Audi sedan driven by John Behan, 64, of Allison Park was traveling south on Route 8 in the curb lane and did not stop for the red light, according to the police report.

A 2003 Ford SUV driven by Linda Eckman, 65, of Valencia “was making a legal left turn on a green turn arrow onto Grandview Crossing Drive when the right front of her vehicle was struck by the front of [the Audi],” the report states.

Barlett said he immediately checked both drivers to see if they were injured, the report states.

“[Eckman] was very shaken up and said she had pain in her chest and her back,” the report states. “I called for EMS to come and treat the patient.”

Richland EMS transported her to UPMC Passavant, states the report.

Behan did not report any injuries, the report said.

The Audi had heavy front damage with both front airbags deployed and the Ford SUV had heavy damage to the right front, the report said.

Both were towed by Rudolph Auto Repair.

Officer Answering Unrelated Call Happens Upon Accident 

Officer Michael Dorsch was responding to an alarm call on May 31 when he came upon a two-vehicle accident in front of on Perry Highway in Pine Township, according to a police report.

Jessica Roland, 22, of White Oak “said that she was pulling out of Dunkin Donuts parking lot and she thought [another vehicle] was pulling in,” according to the report.

As she made a left turn to head north on Perry Highway at about 9 a.m., she struck a 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD pickup truck driven by Carl Hessinger, 68, of Wexford, the police report states.

Roland’s 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse sustained moderate to major front-end damage and was towed by John B. Lombardo's Complete Collision Inc., the report said.

The truck sustained minor damage to the rear passenger side of the pickup bed, said the report.

Officer Sees Motorist Hit Pump at GetGo

You know it’s not your day when you bump into the GetGo gas pump in Richland Township right in front of a police officer.

Mark Beatty, 58, of Gibsonia was trying to turn into the gas pump area at about 5:30 p.m. May 26 when the front driver side of his 2004 Dodge Dakota hit the pump, damaging the pump handles, said police.

Once again, Officer Scott Barlett was in the right place at the right time.

 “I viewed this accident from my patrol car while in the parking lot of Get Go,” he wrote in his report of the incident.