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Crash Closes Route 220 in Bradford County

A horrific wreck along Route 220 in Bradford County closed the busy road for hours Wednesday morning. Anyone who has travelled that road knows how much truck tr...

A horrific wreck along Route 220 in Bradford County closed the busy road for hours Wednesday morning.

Anyone who has travelled that road knows how much truck traffic there is with the natural gas industry.

Careless driving caused the driver of a Pontiac Grand Am to lose control, hit one of those trucks and then hit a guide rail and smash her car to pieces, said police.

The engine of Jessica Chilson's car was in a ditch yards away, the front seats were yards away in the other direction.

Troopers believe Chilson, 21, of Monroeton, was headed north just before 11 o'clock and lost control, hit a truck hauling water and slammed into the guide rail.

Chilson had to be flown to a hospital while officials said a two-year-old girl in a child seat miraculously wasn't hurt.

"The baby was strapped and everything she was just crying, shocked," said William Arriaza.

Arriaza and his coworkers were headed south on Route 220 toward Dushore when the car careened across the yellow lines and into the guide rail.

"Next thing you know there's a big cloud of smoke, then you see that blue car, hit that guide rail. We run over there and try to help out the person and couldn't' see her," said Arriaza.

State troopers reconstructed the crash, trying to figure out how fast Chilson was going at the time of impact considering much of the car is scattered across the entire highway.

Route 220 was closed for hours while state police investigated and crews cleaned up the mess.

With so much truck traffic on the road firefighters said it is important for drivers to slow down, pointing out there is little to no room for error or else a crash like this could be the result.

"It's a lot of truck traffic, gas trucks going back and forth to wells and moving rigs the workers going back and forth to work, hauling stuff," said Edward Crawford with the New Albany Fire Department.

At last check, Jessica Chilson was listed in critical condition at the hospital.

No word if she is the child's mother.

The two-year-old girl who was taken to the hospital as a precaution was treated and released.

Route 220 was open again before 2 p.m.

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