WHATELY — At least three of the victims involved in a rollover crash in Whately Wednesday afternoon have been released from the hospital, while one remained hospitalized Thursday and is believed to be in fair condition, according to a Whately Police spokesman.
The Whately officer, who declined to provide his name, told The Recorder Thursday afternoon that the occupant who was taken to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield by helicopter has not been released, to his knowledge, but one other occupant who was taken to Springfield by ambulance has, and two who were taken to Baystate Franklin Medical Center in Greenfield have also been released.
All four of the occupants were local residents, he said — two from Greenfield, one from Shutesbury, and another from South Deerfield. Their identities have not been released.
The crash was reported around 2:32 p.m., and rescuers arrived a few minutes later. A white Honda Civic traveling south toward Northampton had gone straight at a corner when it should have turned, left the road and rolled into a tree.
The driver was taken to Baystate Medical Center by ambulance, and two other passengers were transported to Baystate Franklin Medical Center. The other occupant was transported by a LifeFlight crew out of UMass Memorial Medical Center.
Only one car was involved in the accident, and officials said alcohol or speed wasn’t a factor. A witness, the Whately officer said, told emergency responders that there was no apparent erratic operation before the crash.
Three South County Emergency Medical Services’ ambulances were required to bring the four victims to the hospitals. Whately and South Deerfield firefighters were called in to extricate the victims. Whately Police Department closed off a section of the road and diverted cars around the accident.