Fatal two-car crash on Spruce Hill

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April 16, 2009

By KIM SMITH DEDAM The Press Republican Thu Apr 16, 2009, 05:50 PM EDT

KEENE — A two-car motor-vehicle accident on Spruce Hill has left one person dead, according to State Police.

The name of the victim, a woman, was not released Thursday, pending notification of next of kin.

The woman was a passenger in a Toyota Corolla driven by Heliza Rifenberg, 38, of Elizabethtown.

The car, headed north down the steep turn at the top of Spruce Hill, crossed the center line and slammed into a Toyota Sienna van driven by Walter Linck, 52, of Lake Clear.

Linck was traveling south up the hill with his wife, Vera Houghtlin, and three children, Daven Linck, 2; Sylvan Linck, 6; and Elodie Linck, 9.

Police said all members of the Linck family were transported to Elizabethtown Community Hospital, where they were treated then released.

Ms. Rifenberg was taken to Fletcher Allen Hospital by Life Flight helicopter, where she was listed in fair condition, police said.

A call reporting the crash came in at 6:24 a.m. and scrambled ambulance crews from seven Essex County towns Thursday morning.

Keene Supervisor Bill Ferebee was one of the first to reach the accident.

He said the two vehicles collided near a sand pit near the top of Spruce Hill, not far from the intersection of Hurricane Road.

“There were two vehicles, a car and a minivan; the car appeared to be heading toward Keene (northbound), the van was going uphill in the direction of Elizabethtown,” he said.

“A passenger in the car did expire. The other woman in the car was trapped. It appeared that the vehicle going downhill veered into the oncoming lane. There weren’t really any eyewitnesses. I only saw where the vehicles rested when it was done.”

Crews from Keene, Keene Valley, Lake Placid, AuSable Forks and Elizabethtown-Lewis ambulance squads responded.

Westport, Wilmington and Willsboro ambulances were called into service on standby.

Elizabethtown firefighters were called into service about 6:45 a.m. with extrication equipment to free trapped victims.

All ambulances had left the crash site by 7:35 a.m.

Ferebee said the emergency response was swift and caring.

“We had such a huge response from everyone. Just the care that was given to get the victims out of the vehicles was truly amazing.”

The road was closed for several hours Thursday morning and reopened at 11:10 a.m.

Police said Essex County Coroner Paul Connery pronounced the female passenger deceased at the accident. Her body was taken to Adirondack Medical Center.

The crash has been ruled an accident, police said.

E-mail Kim Smith Dedam at:

kdedam@pressrepublican.com