3 Washington Co. residents remain hospitalized after three-car crash

Sharpsburg man crawled out of window to escape flames of car fire

May 08, 2010|By DAN DEARTH

Three Washington County residents remained hospitalized Friday, a day after they were injured in a three-car crash that claimed the life of a Delaware woman near the entrance to Antietam National Battlefield on Sharpsburg Pike.

Lauran Dwyer, 21, and Joseph Dwyer, 25, both of Clear Spring, were listed in serious but stable condition Friday night at R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, a hospital spokeswoman said.

William J. Turner, 20, of Sharpsburg, was listed in good condition at Washington County Hospital, a hospital spokeswoman said Friday afternoon.

Maryland State Police said Thursday that Turner was not injured seriously enough to be taken to the hospital.

Luther Turner said Friday that his son, William Turner, required nearly 50 stitches to repair tongue and facial injuries and his ankle was broken in two places.

The 1982 Dodge Diplomat that William Turner was driving caught fire after the accident.

"I'm thankful he wasn't knocked unconscious because he would have been burned up in that car," Luther Turner said.

He said William Turner, a Sharpsburg Volunteer Fire Co. firefighter, was driving home from his girlfriend's house when the accident occurred. William Turner crawled out of one of the car's windows to escape the flames, his father said.

Maryland State Police said Turner was driving south on Md. 65 at about 1 a.m. when his Diplomat and a northbound 1993 Buick Century driven by Lauran Dwyer collided. The Buick also was occupied by Joseph Dwyer and Danielle R. Paikin, 21, of Newark, Del.

After the two cars came to rest, a Nissan Maxima driven by Cory Kuczynski, 25, of Williamsport, struck the passenger side of the Buick, state police said Thursday.

Paikin was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident, Maryland State Police said. Her body was taken to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore for an autopsy.

Joseph Dwyer was flown directly to Shock Trauma and Lauran Dwyer was taken by ambulance to Washington County Hospital, then later transferred to the shock trauma center, Lewis said.

William Turner also was taken by ambulance to Washington County Hospital, he said.

A trooper drove Kuczynski to Washington County Hospital in a police car, Maryland State Police 1st Sgt. Kevin Lewis said.

A hospital spokeswoman said Thursday that Kuczynski was taken to the emergency room and released.

Staff writers Heather Keels and Andrew Schotz contributed to this story.

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