Published: May 01, 2009 12:51 pm      

Woman hospitalized following single-vehicle crash

Firefighters needed more than an hour to remove her from vehicle

METEA — METEA — A Denver woman was taken to a Fort Wayne hospital from the scene of a single-vehicle wreck on Ind. 25 Thursday night.

Trapped inside her vehicle for more than an hour, Sally Crum, 51, Denver, suffered severe injuries to her lower right leg and was flown by Samaritan Helicopter to Parkview Hospital. The extent and status of her injuries were not available this morning.

According to Cass Sheriff Deputy Brian Swartzell, Crum was driving a light blue, 1991 Chevrolet Blazer north on Ind. 25 at approximately 6:30 when she apparently crossed the center line into the southbound lane at the north edge of Metea. The Blazer left the road and hit a guardrail head on.

There were no skid marks at the scene and weather did not appear to be a factor. Police cited fatigue as a factor in the crash. They did not know if alcohol or drugs were involved.

The Blazer plowed through approximately 25 feet of guardrail before it became impaled on a section of the railing. The driver was trapped when the guardrail entered through the front left wheelwell and penetrated the floorboard.

Because the Blazer was trapped on the guardrail, Twelve Mile and Lucerne firefighters had to stabilize it by placing blocks underneath the passenger side. When Logansport Fire Department’s rescue truck arrived, a large jack was used to stabilize the driver’s side so rescue personnel could begin extrication efforts.

“The guardrail pushed the transmission case up and trapped her. Her foot was jammed in by the transmission case on one side and the guardrail on the other,” LFD assistant chief Kim Costello said. “The floorboard balled and wrapped around her foot. We had to cut that off piece by piece.

“It took a combined effort for us to get her out.”

It took firefighters about 75 minutes to remove her from the vehicle. The helicopter was on the ground nearly 45 minutes before Crum could be freed from the wreckage.

Deputies Joe Nies and Troy Woodruff are helping with the investigation. Cass County EMS and Indiana State Police assisted at the scene.