By OWEN BOSS
Staff Writer
NORTHAMPTON — A local elderly woman, who police say crossed the median on Interstate 91 and slammed head-on into a couple from Vermont Friday evening, brought rush-hour traffic to a standstill and snarled traffic into the city for more than two hours.
According to Trooper Giuseppe Champa, of the state police’s Northampton barracks, eyewitnesses of the accident reported that Roslyn Nitkin, 86, who was heading northbound in a Toyota Camry, veered off the highway, crossed the median, and struck a Toyota station wagon occupied by Lori Bowman, 52, and passenger Andrew Harris, 48, of Vermont head-on.
Amazingly, Champa said, the head-on crash left all three individuals with only minor injuries. Nitkin, who Champa said was issued a ticket for failure to stay in her lane, has had her license temporarily revoked as an investigation into the cause of the crash is conducted.
“Witnesses said she just all of a sudden crossed the median,” Champa said. “Remarkably they were all okay because they were all wearing their seat belts and had airbags.”
As a result of the crash, Champa said state police had to temporarily close both southbound lanes on the highway while the damaged vehicles were removed, which translated to lengthy delays for hundreds of rush-hour drivers.
“Traffic was backed up down the highway for about an hour-and-a-half,” Champa said.
All three parties involved in the accident were transported by ambulance to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, where a hospital spokeswoman said they were still being evaluated Friday night.
Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com
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