From staff reports
An 11-year-old boy remained in a Pittsburgh hospital Friday morning with injuries he suffered after a car crashed into a Rocky Grove Avenue home on Wednesday and overturned the couch where the boy was sleeping.
Sugarcreek Borough police released details of the crash Friday and said the accident occurred at about 3:40 p.m. Wednesday as Zachary Vath, 29, of Oil City, was traveling north on Rocky Grove Avenue in a GMC Envoy approaching a right curve in the road.
Police said Vath failed to follow the right curve for unknown reasons and crossed the southbound lane and left the roadway.
Police said the boy, who wasn’t feeling well, was sleeping on the couch in the living room area against the wall when the vehicle came through the wall, struck the end of the couch and flipped it over.
The sheared gas line also resulted in a gas leak at the scene, police said.
Vath saw the boy moving under the couch after the crash and observed the child was conscious, and he grabbed the boy and took him outside due to the gas leak and the unknown situation with his vehicle, police said.
The child was taken by Community Ambulance Service to the Rocky Grove Fire Department building where he was airlifted to Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh.
Sugarcreek police Lt. Ryan Ashbaugh spoke with the child’s mother Friday morning, and Ashbaugh said the mother and boy were still at Children’s Hospital but that the boy was expected to be released later Friday. The mother said his injuries included multiple stitches, a concussion, bruising and small burns, and that he was “super stiff and still in some pain” Ashbaugh said in his report.
Vath was taken from the scene by Community Ambulance Service to Grove City Medical Center for treatment of unknown injuries and later released.
Police said a witness who was following Vath said no improper driving was observed prior to the accident and that they were going about 40 miles per hour.
Police said Vath reported to have either fallen asleep or blacked out just prior to leaving the roadway.
Rocky Grove and Reno firefighters were at the scene, and Ashbaugh said members from several other departments assisted.
