Woman Trapped After State Street Crash

By Susan Bush
12:00AM / Friday, December 22, 2006

Firefighters worked to free 53-year-old Kathryn Birkett from a 2005 Hyundai Elantra on Dec. 22.

North Adams - A Williamstown woman was trapped inside her vehicle for about 45 minutes this afternoon after the vehicle veered from a southbound State Street travel lane, careened over a lawn embankment, struck a utility pole, and sheared an iron walkway railing before coming to rest.

The one-vehicle accident was reported to police at about 3:36 p.m..

City firefighters worked diligently through a chilly drizzle to free 53-year-old Kathryn Birkett, 181 Bridges Road, from the driver's seat of a 2005 black Hyundai Elantra. Special cutting tools were used to cut and pry the vehicle door open so that Birkett could be removed from the wrecked vehicle.

She was taken to North Adams Regional Hospital by EMTs with the North Adams Ambulance Service. No additional information about Birkett's condition was available as of late afternoon.

Witnesses to the crash said that Birkett appeared to be driving without difficulty when the car abruptly left the roadway. Witnesses said that they approached the vehicle after it came to a stop and Birkett was able to communicate that an ambulance should be called.

City police said that the accident is under investigation and no charges had been filed as of late afternoon. The cause of the accident is unknown at this time, police said.

The southbound lane was closed to traffic from the area of the Monument Square child care center while Birkett was freed and the scene cleared. Police directed southbound and northbound traffic along the northbound lane for about an hour.

Susan Bush may be reached via e-mail at suebush@iberkshires.com or at 413-663-3384 ext. 29.