x
Breaking News
More () »

2 men sent to hospital after 2 pick-up trucks crash into Warsaw Elementary School

Warsaw Police tell us the accelerator of one of the trucks got stuck, causing it to T-bone another truck traveling around 80 miles per hour.

WARSAW, N.Y. — Two men are in the hospital after a pick-up truck crashed into another pick-up truck before crashing into Warsaw Elementary School around 2 p.m. Friday.

Warsaw Police Chief Pete Hoffmeister said the accelerator of one of the trucks got stuck, causing it to T-bone another truck traveling at around 80 miles per hour. The impact of the crash caused both trucks to then hit the school library where 20 students were inside.

No one inside was hurt, but students were evacuated.

Both drivers were taken to hospitals by Mercy Flight, one to ECMC and the other to Strong Memorial Hospital.

One of the drivers injured is a 61-year-old man from Gainesville. He sustained major spine, ribs, and leg injuries. Police said his Ford F150 pickup was traveling 70-80 mph in a 30 mph zone on Liberty Street.  Police said he failed to stop at the stop sign at the intersection of Liberty Street and West Buffalo Street (Route 20a) and collided with the second vehicle. He told police that the vehicle's gas pedal was stuck which caused his high speed and usability to stop his vehicle.

The second driver is a 40-year-old man of age from Perry. Police said he was headed west on West Buffalo Street at the time of the accident. He sustained ribs and internal organ injuries and is being treated at Strong Memorial. 

Police said after the collision both vehicles exited the street and slid into the Warsaw Elementary School.

"The teacher from the classroom called 911 from her phone which alerted us to come to the school. And at that point, we started fielding phone calls about the accident itself. Then once we got to the scene, we evacuated the elementary school," Warsaw Police Chief Pete Hoffmeister said. 

"We worked with the school staff and they took all the kids from the elementary school and put them in the high school. And at that point, we were able to reunite all of our students back to their parents within an hour, which was amazing on the school's part."

Both vehicles damaged the walls of the library where 20 kindergarten students were learning.

Before You Leave, Check This Out