Sheriff’s Deputies are looking for the driver of a van involved in a fiery crash on Route 20 that shut down the Thruway on Tuesday in the town of Sheridan.
The Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office said a van traveling on Route 20 lost its wheel, which struck a fuel truck being driven by 30-year old Jean Esquilin-Melendez of Dunkirk.
The impact caused Esquilin-Melendez to drive into the oncoming lane, striking a pick-up truck head-on being driven by 40-year old Herbert Overbeck of Silver Creek.
The crash sent the fuel truck partially over the Thruway bridge and caused both the pick-up truck and fuel truck to catch on fire.
Overbeck was able to escape his truck and he went to Brooks Memorial Hospital for care. Esquilin-Melendez was also able to escape from the fuel track and was flown to ECMC for treatment of burns and injuries he suffered.
The driver of the van involved left the scene and attempt to hide his van from deputies, which was located by a distance from the accident scene. The driver ran away and is still being sought by deputies.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing.
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