Deputies held a press conference on Sunday following a fatal accident on State Route 5&20 in the Town of Seneca on Saturday. As of Tuesday morning, no new information had been released as the investigation into that incident continues.
A Waterloo woman, identified as Barbara Amidon, died from injuries she sustained in an accident – where a rock flew through the windshield of a vehicle she was traveling in.
The incident happened around noon.
Gregory Sterman, of Geneva was driving the vehicle and transported her by car to Geneva General Hospital.
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Due to the severity of her injuries, which included trauma to the head – Amidon was airlifted to Strong Memorial Hospital.
Deputies say she died from her injuries later that day.
Deputies discovered there was a commercial vehicle driving by at the time of the incident. The rock allegedly came from the commercial vehicle.
During Lt. David Cirencione’s 16-year career with the Ontario County Sheriff’s Office – nothing like this has ever been reported.
“There is no reason to believe there was criminal intent,” Cirencione explained during the press conference on Sunday. “It’s possible the vehicle’s operator may not have known the rock was thrown from its vehicle.”
Sterman, who was operating the vehicle, said they were headed west just before noon in his 2010 Chevrolet Impala when a rock from a white, 18-wheeler tractor trailer bounced on the pavement and shot through the passenger side of the windshield striking Amidon.
“Our heartfelt thoughts go out to the Amidon and Sterman families during this very difficult time,” Cirencione continued. “Those of us who work here travel that road every day, sometimes on patrol and sometimes with our families. It is difficult because we recognize this happened to people we are sworn to serve and protect and it just as easily could have happened to one of us or our family. So it is very difficult.”
The truck driver has not been identified, but anyone with information about the incident has been asked to call (800) 394-4560.
