Traffic Blotter: Wet Roads, Collisions, Ignored Stop Signs in Richland

Toyota Hit When It Pulls onto Bakerstown Road

A 1995 Toyota Corolla driven by Sara Huber, 20, of Valencia collided with a PT Cruiser July 26 when Huber made a left turn from State Road onto Bakerstown Road in Richland Township, police said.

Huber told police she did not see the 2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser traveling on Bakerstown Road as she pulled out around 4:30 p.m., the report said.

A 16-year-old was driving the Chrysler, police said.

Gibsonia Woman Runs into Stopped Vehicle

Loreline Bessiere, 34, of Gibsonia ran into the back of a 2005 Toyota Camry around 8:30 p.m. July 25, in Richland Township, police said.

Zhong Jiang, 30, of Wexford was stopped on Route 910/Gibsonia Road to make a left turn onto Gibson Road, police said.

Bessiere, driving a 2011 Toyota Corolla, told police she did not see that the Camry had stopped.

Bakerstown Road near Windfall Lane

 A 17-year-old Gibsonian lost control of the 2006 Volvo S60 she was driving July 22 and struck a utility pole on Bakerstown Road, said .

The girl told police she went wide on a bend near Windfall Lane, overcorrected, lost control and hit the Duquesne Light pole, police said.

The police report noted the road was wet following heavy thunderstorms and a light rain was falling at the time of the 7:20 p.m. accident.

Vehicle Crashes into Duquesne Light Pole

A cell phone is blamed for an early morning accident July 18 on Route 8 in Richland Township.

Kendra Smith, 22, of Venice, FL, ran off Route 8 and hit a Duquesne Light pole, according to a police report, when she was distracted by her cell phone ringing at 3 a.m.

She was driving in the 5400 block of Route 8/William Flynn Highway, police said. No injuries were reported.

“[Smith] stated that while traveling north on Route 8 she was distracted when her cell phone rang. [Smith] stated that she looked down at her phone, at which time she veered off of the roadway,” the report said.

Pedestrian Struck by Vehicle’s Mirror

A pedestrian was hospitalized July 15 after she was hit by a vehicle’s mirror and thrown into a yard on Arborwood Drive in Richland Township, Northern Regional Police Department said.

Bethann Caliguiri, 42, who lives on Arborwood, was transported to Allegheny General Hospital by , police said.

She was hit when a 1999 Honda CR-V driven by 20-year-old Emily Grant, of Gibsonia, pulled off the road around 9:45 p.m. to avoid a bicyclist approaching from the opposite direction, according to police.

Grant did not see that a pedestrian was standing on the right side of the road, police said.

Spare Tire Falls Off Blazer, Hits Honda

A spare tire that came off the back of a red Blazer on Route 8 struck another vehicle around 4:45 p.m. July 13, police said. 

Patricia Penny, 67, of Saxonburg, said she was driving her 2010 Honda Crosstour north on Route 8, near the Legion Drive intersection, when she saw the tire and swerved to avoid it, police said. The tire hit Penny’s right front fender, police said.

Penny did not get the license plate of the Blazer, said police.

Vehicles Collide at Route 8 – Sandy Hill Road Intersection

A 2009 Pontiac G6 traveling north on Route 8 around 6 p.m. July 11 failed to stop for a red light at the Sandy Hill Road intersection and ran into another vehicle, police said.

Stacy Ferguson, 43, of West Sunbury, PA , ran into a 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee as it turned onto Route 8, said police. 

The Jeep was driven by Diane Sustar, 60, of Gibsonia, according to the police report.

Honda Runs Into Back of Nissan Stopped at Light

A 1994 Honda Accord driven by Gina Dalvesco, 51, of Ambridge was traveling north on Route 8 on July 11 when it ran into the back of a vehicle that was stopped for a red light at the Ewalt Road intersection, police said.

Darla Cameron, 47, of Tarentum was driving the 2010 Nissan Rogue that was hit, said police.

Dodge Ram Rolls Onto Its Side on Grubbs Road

A 2006 Dodge Ram 150 had to be towed July 11 after it struck an embankment on Grubbs Road and rolled onto its left side, according to a Northern Regional police report.

Jesse Shore, 18, of Gibsonia was traveling north on the Richland Township road about noon when he looked down to answer his cell phone, the report said.

and North Hampton Volunteer Fire Departments responded to the accident that occurred between Route 910 / Gibsonia Road and Sahli Drive, said police.

Three Vehicles in Chain-Reaction Accident on Route 8

A 21-year-old Tarentum woman was looking at directions July 10 when she set off a chain-reaction accident on Route 8 at the Dickey Road intersection, according to a police report.

Cecelia Bartosiewicz was driving a 1991 Oldsmobile Cutless around 7 p.m. when she ran into the back of a 2000 Volkswagen Jetta driven by 39-year-old Robert Walker II of Butler, police said.

The Jetta then ran into a 2010 Ford Taurus drivien by Raymond Simon, 54, of Butler, police said.

“Bartosiewicz] stated that she was looking at directions when the accident occurred,” the report stated.

Man Test Driving Nissan 350Z Collides with Honda

A 19-year-old man was test-driving a 2003 Nissan 350Z at midday July 9 when he collided with a vehicle in the intersection of Valencia Road and Bakerstown Road in Richland Township, police said.

Bryan Ellenberger of Falls Creek, PA, was charged with failing to obey a stop sign, the report said.

The Nissan was traveling south on Valencia Road, and the driver planned to make a left turn onto Bakerstown Road, the report said. It collided with a 2010 Honda Odyssey that was traveling straight through the intersection on Bakerstown Road, the report said.

The Honda was driven by Tina Cooper, 41, of Gibsonia, police said.

The Nissan is owned by Jonathan Hicks of Valencia, who was in the car, police said. 

 “[Ellenberger] stated that he was in the process of looking at [the Nissan] to purchase and was on a test ride at the time of the crash,” the report said. “He further stated that he was not familiar with the area and thought that the stop sign was for the other road.”

The driver of the Honda told police she had no time to react, the report said.

A child riding in a child safety seat in the Honda was treated by Hampton EMS medics.

Chevrolet Cobalt Slides on Wet Road and Goes on Wild Ride 

A 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt that was turning onto Heckert Road from Route 8 on July 8 slid on the wet road, went into a ditch, hit a tree, traveled over a hillside and then came to rest in a ditch at the bottom of the hill, police reported.

The driver, 61-year-old Emerson McIntyre Jr. of Pittsburgh, refused medical treatment.

Woman Charged With Failing to Obey Traffic Control

A 24-year-old Glenshaw woman was charged with failing to obey a traffic control device July 7 after a collision on Route 8 in Richland Township, police reported.

Natassia Ainsworth pleaded guilty to the summary offense and paid $110.50 in fines and court costs.

According to a police report, she made a left turn directly in front of a 2008 Kia Sedona driven by Tara Ronel, 37, of Allison Park.

The accident occurred between Ewalt Road and Applewood Drive.

Vehicle Loses Traction on Wet Road, Hits Pole

A 20-year-old Gibsonia man was not injured July 4 after the 2003 Toyota Corolla he was driving struck a utility pole on Heckert Road, a Northern Regional Police Department report stated.

George Will was rounding a left curve on Heckert, between Bakerstown Road and Meadow Lane, when he lost traction on the wet road and struck the pole, police said. The impact knocked telephone and cable television lines into the parking lot of the Schellhaas Funeral Home at  5864 Heckert Road.

“Just prior to this crash it had been raining and the roadway was still wet,” the report stated. “This pole has been struck numerous times in the past from this same road condition. The pole struck was still intact, but had moved.”

Consolidated Communications was contacted about the pole, police said

Man in Nissan Flees After Running into Back of Chevrolet 

 A Utah woman was stopped for a red light at the intersection of Routes 910 and 8 on June 29 when a Nissan Altima ran into the back of her and then drove away, according to Northern Regional Police Department.

Alecia Black, 38, of Riverton, UT, obtained a license plate number, but it turned out to be a bad plate, police said.

Her 2008 Chevrolet Malibu, owned by Wendy’s International of Havertown, PA, sustained moderate damage to the rear bumper, the police report stated.