Two-car accident snarled traffic at Five Corners Thursday

0

Updated 11:50 am, Friday

A two-car accident about 3:25 pm Thursday afternoon at Five Corners in Vineyard Haven tied up traffic for about 25 minutes.

William Zukowski of Edgartown was driving a Mercury Sable east on Beach Road when a Subaru station wagon driven by Marjorie Gauley of Oak Bluffs struck his car from behind, according to Tisbury Police Officer Michael Gately.

Mr. Zukowski complained of injuries, and the Tisbury Ambulance Service transported him to Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.There was an additional complication. Police could not start Mr. Zukowski’s car because rescue personnel had disconnected the battery to keep the air bags from discharging. That left the car sitting like a cork in the traffic bottle. Traffic backed up to the Lagoon drawbridge.

Tisbury Police Chief Daniel Hanavan solved the problem. He enlisted the aid of Deputy Travis Bissey of the Dukes County Sheriff’s Department, who had stopped to offer his help. The two men quickly pushed the Sable across Five Corners to Beach Street extension and traffic was rolling again by 3:45 pm.

Officer Gately issued Ms. Gauley a citation for following a motor vehicle too closely.

In a telephone conversation Friday morning Mr. Zukowski said he was banged up and sore but otherwise fine.