3 serious crashes in 3 days in Derry Township leave motorists hospitalized

One person was flown by medical helicopter from a two-vehicle crash Tuesday in Derry Township, according to state police.

The crash was reported about 11:15 a.m. at the intersection of Route 217 and Pizza Barn Road, just south of Blairsville. Sean R. Ober, 24, of Latrobe, drove a Hyundai Santa Fe through a stop sign at the intersection and slammed into the passenger side of a Mazda driven by Tracey L. Fisher, 51, of Blairsville, according to police.

One person was reported to be trapped in a vehicle during the crash, a Westmoreland 911 dispatcher said.

Fisher was taken to a Pittsburgh hospital with serious injuries, police said. Ober was not hurt.

First responders have been busy in that area of Derry Township during the last few days as two other collisions a few miles away from Tuesday’s scene sent motorists to hospitals, according to state police.

A New York man was seriously injured in a Monday morning crash on Pizza Barn Road, about 2 miles south of the intersection with Route 217. State police said Adam Finch, 31, of Oneonta, N.Y., was flown by medical helicopter to a Pittsburgh hospital after the Chevrolet Impala he was driving crossed into the opposite lane and hit a Ford Escape head-on at 6 a.m.

The driver of the Ford — Sandra L. Smith, 64, of Latrobe — also was transported by medical helicopter to a hospital. Troopers said she had minor injuries.

Police investigated another crash at 5:30 p.m. Sunday on Strawcutter Road at the intersection of Sardis Lane. Troopers said a 29-year-old McKeesport woman lost control and slid off Strawcutter Road, hitting an embankment and overturning. The driver was taken to a hospital for treatment of serious but non-life threatening injuries, according to police.

That scene was about 8 miles from Tuesday’s crash.

In 2020, there were about 2,500 crashes reported in Westmoreland County, according to PennDOT statistics. Motorists sustained injuries in 960 of those collisions.