by Steve Bradley
It was a busy hour for the Hoosick Fire Department and Town of Hoosick Rescue Squads last Thursday, September 6, when they responded to three accidents in just over one hour. Between 3 and 4 pm the department was called to the Route 7 with Spicer Road intersection when 19 year old Breanna Schnakenberg of Hoosick Falls pulled out of Spicer Road directly into the path of a westbound tractor trailer coming down the hill. The truck caught the entire drivers side front fender / hood area of the Mazda Tribute compact SUV and drove it towards the center of the vehicle. The tractor was driven by 31 year old David Swaine of Fort Drum, NY. Schnakenberg, who, ironically, had luck on her side this day, stated that she never saw the truck coming. She was taken by the rescue squad to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Truck driver Swaine was unhurt. Performance Auto removed the Mazda from the scene.
Minutes later, a call went out for a traffic accident on Potter Hill. One vehicle driven by 31 year old Ken Hoag of Hoosick Falls side-swiped another driven by Nathan Berard of Bennington on Route 7 near the pull-off in the middle of the hill. Hoosick Fire, not even back to the station yet, quickly responded to that call along with the second duty rescue squad team. No one was seriously injured.
Ten minutes later, Hoosick and Hoosick Falls Fire and the town rescue squad, along with Bennington and Cambridge were called to an accident on Route 22 in front of Hoosac Meadows. A small pickup truck was rammed from behind when the following driver of a Nissan Rogue didn’t stop. Both vehicles were coming from HFCS after the first day of school. Hoosick Fire used the Jaws of Life to remove one occupant from the truck for medical assistance, otherwise everyone was OK. Both vehicles was severely damaged. Barber & Fricke Automotive removed both vehicles.
Hoosick Fire, along with the Town of Hoosick and Bennington Rescue Squads also responded to a traffic accident Sunday afternoon on Route 7 at the parking area a quarter mile west of Stewart’s in Hoosick. A New York registered westbound Nissan Rogue trying to enter the parking area pulled in front of an eastbound Maryland registered Hyandai Elantra. The Nissan spun around, ending up in the eastbound traffic lane, with the Hyundai ricocheting off the Rogue into the parking area. Two people were transported to the hospital, one from each vehicle. Cahill’s Garage removed both vehicles.