Two Amherst Co. accidents send three to hospital

Two accidents in Amherst County on Tuesday afternoon tied up traffic and sent three area residents to Lynchburg General Hospital with minor injuries, according to State Police.

Trooper D.M. Ledbetter said the first, three-vehicle accident happened around 5:20 p.m., on U.S. 29 Business, in the area of Northvail Drive, when a vehicle traveling north sideswiped a southbound vehicle, then crossed into the south lanes, colliding head-on with a pickup truck.

Ledbetter said Michelle Richardson, 43, of Madison Heights, was charged with reckless driving, after police say she lost control of her 1991 Chevrolet Suburban.

According to Ledbetter, Richardson said she didn’t remember much of the accident, and may have lost consciousness or had a medical issue that caused the wreck.

Richardson’s vehicle first sideswiped a Subaru Outback, driven by Marylou Canipe, 44, of Amherst, then collided head-on with a 2005 Chevrolet Silverado driven by a 16-year-old Monroe resident, whose name Ledbetter did not release.

The juvenile’s father was in the truck at the time, along with two other passengers, one of whom was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

Ledbetter said the injuries could have been much worse, but all involved were wearing their seat belts.

On his way to the hospital from that accident, Ledbetter witnessed the second accident at about 7:10 p.m., at the intersection of U.S. 29 Business and Virginia 163.

Lashonette Watson, 20, of Lynchburg, was driving south and attempting to make a left turn onto Virginia 163, while Rhonda Pederson, 42, of Madison Heights, was driving north.

Pederson’s 2008 Nissan Altima slammed into Watson’s 1995 Jeep Cherokee, both drivers sustaining minor injuries, for which they were taken to Lynchburg General Hospital.

Fortunately, Ledbetter said, rescue squad members were eating nearby, and it didn’t take long for them to get to the wreck.

“I mean, if it was going to happen, it happened the right way,” he said.

Watson was charged with failure to yield the right of way.

Ledbetter said neither accident caused the roads to close completely. Traffic was simply routed around the wrecks.