By CASEY RYAN VOCK
FRANKLIN — A Paul Smith's College student was killed and two others suffered serious injuries Friday in a two-car head-on collision.
Vincent E. Monty, 19, of Plattsburgh was driving east from Paul Smith's on Route 3 at approximately 11:55 a.m. in 1994 Saturn SL. At the same time, Gregory B. Campbell, 60, of Keeseville was driving west on Route 3 in a 2003 Ford Escape.
The two vehicles collided head-on about a mile west of the Route 26 intersection and came to rest in the road, according to State Police.
Monty's passenger, 19-year-old Abigail E. Pruitt of Pittsford and a student at Paul Smith's College, was pronounced dead at the accident by Franklin County Coroner Ronald Keough.
Monty was transported by Saranac Lake Rescue to Adirondack Medical Center in Saranac Lake with leg, head and chest injuries. Campbell, the former chairman of the Adirondack Park Agency and former Clinton County Republican Party chairman, suffered leg injuries and was transported to CVPH Medical Center in Plattsburgh.
Campbell, who State Police said was traveling alone, was later transferred by ambulance in critical condition to Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington, where he was still being evaluated late Friday night.
Monty's grandfather, Gordon Monty of Chazy, said his grandson was undergoing surgery early Friday evening at Adirondack Medical Center in an attempt to stop internal bleeding.
Officials at Adirondack Medical Center in Saranac Lake Friday refused to release information on Monty's condition but later said he was transported to Fletcher Allen. His condition was unavailable late Friday night.
Gordon Monty said Pruitt is his grandson's girlfriend and that the two are both enrolled at Paul Smith's College.
"She was a very nice girl," he said.
An autopsy of Pruitt's body was conducted by Dr. C. Frances Varga at Adirondack Medical Center in Saranac Lake. Her cause of death was determined to be multiple blunt force trauma due to the accident.
State Police investigators and the Collision Reconstruction Unit were at the accident location until about 5:25 p.m. Friday.
The investigation into the cause of the crash is continuing. Anyone who witnessed the accident or the operation of either vehicle just prior to the accident is asked to contact Ray Brook-based State Police at 897-2000.
