Chief William Walsh Jr.
465 Main St.
Great Barrington, MA 01230
For Immediate Release
Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016
Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net
Great Barrington Police Investigating Motor Vehicle Crash in Front of Berkshire Hills Regional High School
GREAT BARRINGTON — Chief William Walsh reports that the Great Barrington Police Department is investigating a motor vehicle crash that occurred in front of the high school this morning.
At around 8 a.m., police received a report that a woman driving a 2011 Hyundai had been traveling north on Route 7/Stockbridge Road. At the same time, a male student at the high school, driving a 1995 Jeep, arrived in the middle left turn lane to enter the driveway of the Monument Mountain Regional High School, 600 Stockbridge Road from the southbound side.
The male student did not see the Hyundai, and turned in front of the female driver. To avoid a collision, the female operator swerved to the right, driving over the center median and then over the northern median, striking a stop sign post with her passenger side rear view mirror and a portion of the passenger rear quarter panel.
The two cars did not make contact and no one was injured.
“Thankfully no one was hurt,” Chief Walsh said. “We remind drivers to use caution in this heavily trafficked area, especially during hours before and after school begins.”
Town Manager Jennifer Tabakin recognizes that this is a troublesome area and is currently engaged in active discussions with the state to come up with potential roadway solutions to prevent incidents of this nature in the future.
“The Town, the Berkshire Hills Regional School District School Committee, and the Superintendent’s office are working together to find a viable traffic solution for this stretch of roadway,” Town Manager Tabakin said. “As this is a state road, this effort includes the involvement of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. We are also grateful to State Representative Smitty Pignatelli for his support.”
The Great Barrington Police Department conducts traffic control in this area during peak hours. Unfortunately this incident occurred less than five minutes after the regularly scheduled end of traffic control operations.
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