Crash Kept Route 120 in Cameron County Closed for Nearly 8 Hours

Falling backpack resulted in crash, closed road

DRIFTWOOD – Route 120 was shutdown for nearly 8 hours yesterday, after an accident brought two telephone poles and live wires down, closing the roadway.

The accident occurred as Jay M. Ball, 31, of Sinnemahoning, was operating a 1985 Chevorlet C-10 westbound on Route 120. A backpack, belonging to Ball’s 9-year-old son, fell on the floor of the pickup, at which point Ball attempted to retrieve the backpack. Upon doing so, Ball was distracted and subsequently crossed the center line into the southbound lane of traffic and struck a telephone pole head on.

The pole snapped in half, then pushed over another neighboring pole, with both poles falling onto the roadway with live wires.

At the same time that both poles were crashing down, another vehicle, operated by James L. Deetscreek, 54, of Sinnemahoning, was also traveling along the roadway and was hit by the falling power lines.

No one was injured during the accident.

Ball was charged with Highways Laned for Traffic, as a result of the accident.

The roadway remained closed for some time after the poles were re-erected, as the live wires had heated the pavement, preventing travel.

Route 120 was re-opened at approximately 11:30 pm last night, after crews from Allegheny Power and Windstream replaced the poles and removed the wires from the roadway.