June 30th, 2010 | 
Author: HAMBURG, NY – A family of four was trapped in their car under a semi after a truck accident Friday morning, June 18, in Erie County, New York. The collision with the semi trailer occurred on the New York Thruway in the city of Hamburg, near the Camp Road overpass on the highway. The accident area is part of the Buffalo metro region in the northwest section of the state, about 84 miles southwest of Rochester, NY and about 85 miles north of Warren, Pennsylvania.
Emergency personnel from Hamburg responded to the scene of the accident and were later joined by teams from Scranton and Newton Abbott. The rescue team used tools to extricate the three adults from the car. A tow truck was brought in to help get the car out from under the truck’s trailer.
At about 10:00 a.m. Friday morning 50 year old Shelton Rankins of North Carolina was driving a semi trailer truck west on the New York Thruway in Erie County, NY. Mr. Rankins was driving the truck for Barnes Transportation, based in Wilson, North Carolina.
A family of four was also traveling west on the thruway in the vicinity of the trailer truck. The family, from Grove City, Pennsylvania consisted of 45 year old Sajjad Raja, his 30 year old wife Saba Raja, and their ten month old baby. The third adult was identified as 88 year old Gulchera Bano, Mrs. Raja’s mother.
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According to authorities the car and the semi trailer were both traveling west on the thruway through the city of Hamburg. The trailer truck was in the left passing lane and the car was in the right driving lane. As the two vehicles reached the area near the Camp Road overpass, the driver of the semi trailer truck attempted to move into the right lane, directly in the path of the Raja’s car.
As the truck driver merged over he saw the car at the last moment and attempted to pull his semi truck back into the passing lane. At the same time Mr. Raja attempted to move to the shoulder of the highway to avoid a collision. He then tried to bring it back on the road and apparently lost control. The car began to slide sideways and slid under the trailer truck, becoming stuck beneath the trailer just in front of the rear set of wheels. The 18 wheeler continued for about a tenth of a mile, dragging the Raja’s car, before finally coming to a rest at the side of the highway.
Emergency personnel from Hamburg responded to the scene of the truck accident and were later joined by teams from Scranton and Newton Abbott. The rescue team had to use tools to extricate the three adults from the car. A heavy tow truck was brought in to help get the car out from under the truck’s trailer. Once free the driver, Mr. Raja, was transported by Mercy Flight medical helicopter to Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo with a broken pelvis.
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Mrs. Raja suffered a broken leg in the truck accident and her mother, Mrs. Bano, sustained a broken pelvis and arm. They were taken to by Rural/Metro Service ambulances to Erie County Medical Center. The baby had facial injuries and abrasions and was transported to Women and Children’s Hospital, also in Buffalo.
New York State Police shut down a section of both westbound lanes on the thruway while crews removed the wreckage of the two vehicles and officials reconstructed the truck accident. At one point the closure backed up traffic for five miles. The area was finally cleared shortly before 12:30 p.m. Friday afternoon.
NY State Police along with officials from the New York State Thruway were investigating the truck accident. The State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit is conducting a complete inspection of the semi trailer truck to determine if mechanical failure was a factor in the collision.
No charges have been brought at this time but are expected once the truck accident investigation is completed.
For more information about New York trucking laws, truck injury causes and victims rights, contact nationwide truck accident lawyers Gordon, Elias & Seely, LLP for expert advice. For a free initial consultation, talk to a NY truck accident lawyer at 800.773.6770.
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