|
Accident fatal to 4-year-old boy may have started with seizure
A 4-year-old Kenville Road boy was killed in a March 22 motor vehicle accident when the vehicle in which he was riding was struck by an apparently speeding vehicle just after 6 p.m. at the intersection of Kensington Avenue and Century Road.
The accident remains under investigation and police are looking into the possibility that the driver of the speeding sport utility vehicle may have suffered a diabetic reaction.
Troy Lash, 4, was killed and his parents, Karen Lash, 30, and Timothy Lash, 31, remain hospitalized at Erie County Medical Center.
According to Cheektowaga Police, the Lash vehicle was struck from behind while it was stopped for a red light in the westbound lanes of Kensington.
The SUV that struck the Lash vehicle was operated by Shawn Daniels, 44, of Cleveland Drive. Witnesses say that Daniels was traveling at a high rate of speed.
The impact of the collision caused the Lash vehicle to strike a third vehicle across the intersection.
"Daniels' vehicle continued west, crossed the eastbound lanes, jumped the curb and struck a parked vehicle," said Cheektowaga Police Captain John Glascott. "It stopped when it struck a porch at 1597 Kensington Avenue."
Cleveland Hill firefighters responded to the scene, and the victims were transported to ECMC via Rural/Metro Ambulance. Pine Hill firefighters stood by at Cleveland Hill's fire hall.
Police say that Troy Lash was seated in a properly installed and buckled child seat. He was seated behind his mother, who was driving the vehicle.
Investigators continue to probe whether Daniels suffered a diabetic seizure, which may have caused the accident. Diabetic seizures can occur when a person's blood-sugar level falls too low.
"(Daniels) had a low blood-sugar level when paramedics treated him," said Glascott.
Police blotter records indicate Cleveland Hill firefighters were sent to Daniels's address twice on March 18 to treat a 44-year-old male. During the first incident, a 44-year-old male suffered a seizure at 5 a.m. Firefighters returned to the address at 9:27 p.m. to assist a 44-year-old male with a diabetic problem.
Four similar occurrences were reported at the same address between December 20, 2006 and March 8, 2007.
Police are consulting with the Erie County District Attorney's office about possible prosecution against Daniels.
Traffic accidents involving persons who suffer diabetic seizures occur fairly frequently. There have been at least three other occurrences in the United States since February 13.
On February 13 in Dallas, a vehicle struck a parked car, then slammed into a house after its driver suffered a seizure.
A woman in New Philadelphia, Ohio, drove her vehicle for almost one-half mile down the wrong side of a road after suffering a seizure on March 12. Her vehicle traveled through three intersections and struck a parked car before stopping.
Also on March 12, in an incident similar to last week's accident, a driver suffered a seizure and rearended a vehicle stopped at a traffic light in Sanford, Florida. The vehicle then struck a street sign before hitting a concrete wall at an apartment complex.
| 
