Vermont Crash ~ Couple Loses Limbs

[Loafer]

I know the road they were on, steep and really tight turns. SAD.

This Just In
Couple loses limbs in motorcycle crash

July 16,2015


BETHEL — A retired nurse likely saved the life of a Wisconsin couple after their motorcycle was sideswiped by a car that was speeding out of control down a remote, winding mountain road, Bethel’s fire chief said Wednesday.

The couple, Dale O’Keefe, 74, and Lisa O’Keefe of Mason, Wisconsin, suffered devastating injuries in the accident. Lisa O’Keefe, a passenger on her husband’s Harley-Davidson motorcycle, lost her left leg, and her husband lost his left foot, according to Vermont State Police.

The accident occurred on Camp Brook Road in Bethel, which turns into Bethel Mountain Road in Rochester.

Bethel Fire Chief David Aldrighetti described the accident scene as “catastrophic,” with severe injuries to the Wisconsin couple and psychological trauma for a young Massachusetts woman who witnessed the accident because her car had broken down shortly before the accident.

Adding to that, he said, was that one of his longtime volunteer firefighters, James Hart, 66, of Bethel, was arrested by state police for suspicion of drunken driving at the scene.

Aldrighetti said Hart came to the accident scene in his own pickup, and never tended to the O’Keefes. Hart’s home is less than a mile away from the accident scene, and Aldrighetti said he believed Hart heard the radio report that there was a “catastrophic” accident, and responded to see what he could do.

Hart is a 49-year veteran of the Bethel Volunteer Fire Department, and the chief said he didn’t know what discipline Hart would face internally. The department’s rules forbid driving fire trucks or equipment while intoxicated, but are silent about personal vehicles.

“What he did was wrong. Absolutely,” he said. The chief said he believed Hart, who is retired, had a couple of beers with lunch, heard the radio call and responded.

He said Hart’s initial breath test showed him over the legal limit, but he said he was told a later breath test at Vermont State Police barracks in Royalton showed him below the limit.

He said Vermont State Police “absolutely” did the right thing in arresting Hart.

The fire chief said the car, a 1962 Chevrolet Impala, hit the vacationing couple with such force that there was little or no chance that either limb could be reattached.

He said the good Samaritan nurse — the fire and rescue crews don’t yet know who she was — stopped at the scene shortly after it occurred and applied tourniquets to Lisa O’Keefe’s severed leg and Dale O’Keefe’s severed foot.

He said the mystery nurse worked so quickly the O’Keefes avoided devastating blood loss.

“It’s mind-numbing to think about, but neither lost consciousness, and neither was crying. They were trying to answer questions,” said Aldrighetti, who added that he got to the scene 30 seconds after the ambulances, and later drove one of the ambulances to the hospital.

He said the 911 caller reported the accident as occurring on Bethel Mountain Road, which triggered the joint response from Rochester, even though the accident was in Bethel, about 2 miles from the town line. He said the accident occurred on a sharp curve.

The driver of the car, Gustavo Chang, 22, of Manchester, N.H., had just bought the car from someone in Brandon and was in the process of driving it home, according to Vermont State Police Trooper Daniel Martin. He declined to say whether the car was inspected or insured.

But, he said, police would be examining the car’s braking, suspension and steering systems. “He was probably driving too fast,” Martin said.

Friends who had driven Chang to Brandon to pick up the car were driving home ahead of him, the chief said.

The chief said Chang told investigators he was unable to slow the car down on the steep road and was trying to pass his friends’ vehicle to avoid running into them when he went around a corner and struck the motorcycle.

Chang, who police said received minor injuries in the crash, was in shock after the accident.

Martin, the Vermont State Police trooper, said that the car would be examined for mechanical problems, and he said the police were seeking the person who had sold the car to Chang to get more information.

The fire chief said he was astonished at all the press attention to Hart’s arrest, and the attention has been devastating to Hart, who was cited to appear in court next month.

“He’s been a good firefighter all his life,” said the chief, who noted that the attention to Hart’s drunken driving charge tainted not just Hart, but all firefighters.

“This has an effect on every single firefighter, just like that Burlington cop being arrested for (drunken) driving this weekend,” said Aldighetti, who said he was very upset with the entire incident.

The Bethel rescue crews have had to cope with three very serious motor vehicle accidents in the past three weeks.

Aldrighetti said he believed the O’Keefes would survive. Dartmouth-Hitchcock officials, citing patient confidentiality, said they could not provide any information about the O’Keefes.

Medical personnel wheeled Lisa O’Keefe into her husband’s room at Gifford so the couple could talk before she was transferred to Dartmouth. Aldrighetti said he believed the husband was later transferred to Dartmouth as well.

“They were just so strong,” he said

[OldSchool]

Really sad when you hear about situations like this one. Not much they could do to avoid that accident. At least they both are alive and will be able to go on with their lives after the adjustment.

[HwyRider]

Really sad. On vacation and enjoying the backroads of VT.

[cnc]

That's sad.

[Loafer]

Many of us here are so saddened by this event. But the fact that they are alive is good. Unfortunately they are both in their 70's and will have a difficult time trying to help each other with their injuries. Their home life will be forever changed. I called the hospital to see if there is anything I could do to help them, I was told to give it a few days. Will try again Tuesday when I'm there for a procedure.

[JD Hog]

Wow, this is just so sad to read about. I pray that they both have a speedy recovery and can cope with what happened to them.

[Admin]

I received an email in the main account from a friend of theirs and thought I should share it. The subject is "Thank You":

Hi,
I just want to thank you for being so nice and expressing your care and concern for Lisa & Dale O'Keefe. I am very good friends with Lisa's mother. It is so devastating and being so far from home. Her mother says to send prayers! God Bless! -Annette

[Loafer]

Who would have thought that this would get a response like that? AWESOME!

[BigRed]

If someone causes an accident while driving drunk, they should experience the same level of pain as the party they hurt. In this case the guy should lose his leg as well. There is nothing else in the world that will teach drunks a lesson.

[Loafer]

Originally Posted by BigRed

If someone causes an accident while driving drunk, they should experience the same level of pain as the party they hurt. In this case the guy should lose his leg as well. There is nothing else in the world that will teach drunks a lesson.

As far as I know the driver of the car that hit the Wisconsin couple was not drinking. A 'First
Responder' had a couple of beers with lunch when he heard the 'Alert' on his scanner. The
accident was about a mile from him so he went to the scene. He didn't do anything while
he was there and the police arrested 'him' for DUI.

[BigRed]

I see. I had to re-read the article. Still, my point stands. BTW, I feel the same way about speeding and/or reckless driving.

[Loafer]

Originally Posted by BigRed

I see. I had to re-read the article. Still, my point stands. BTW, I feel the same way about speeding and/or reckless driving.

I agree with you. The man who sold the car is being investigated.