Mosquitos swarmed as bright lights illuminated the aftermath of a four-car pileup Friday evening, which caused the eastbound lane of the Chautauqua County Veterans Memorial Bridge on Interstate 86 to be closed for more than an hour.
According to Chautauqua County Sheriffs, Around 9:36 p.m., Jennifer Maurer, 21 of Jamestown, was traveling east on I-86 when a motorcycle swerved in front of her vehicle, causing her to swerve, striking the guardrail. Her vehicle came to rest in the middle of the road as Brian Schott, 39 of Warren, Pa. stopped on the bridge to see if Ms. Maurer was alright.
While the two were out of their vehicles, a 16-year-old Jamestown resident was slowing down in response to the parked cars. Behind that driver was 76 year-old Ulla Larsen of Jamestown, who was unable to see the parked cars, and struck the 16-year-old's vehicle from behind, sending it crashing into Schott's car.
According to Bemus Point Assistant Fire Chief Randy Apperson, nobody was seriously injured, and all victims left the scene of the accident on their own.
''All five people signed off (on receiving medical care) and no one was transported,'' he said. ''One of the cars was drivable, but the other three were totaled and had to be flatbedded out.''
No charges have been filed at this time.
The accident taking place on the bridge, an obviously confined space, wasn't an issue to the first-responders, the assistant fire chief said.
''We handle things just the same. We shut down traffic to protect the scene and the people working on the scene,'' he said. ''Thankfully nobody was hurt.''
Eastbound traffic which backed up on I-86 was re-routed either westbound or through the Stow exit.
