JAMESTOWN, N.Y. (WIVB) — The Jamestown community is coming together to help a family who lost their loved one in a head-on car crash on I-86 this past weekend.
People are rallying to help the Town family after 57-year-old Todd Town died when a car driving the wrong way on I-86 collided with his pickup truck.
The crash happened Saturday around 6 p.m., between exits 12 and 13. State Police said 30-year-old Matthew Berry was traveling east in the westbound lane and was driving without his headlights on.
That’s when Berry’s Toyota Camry crashed head-on with Town’s Dodge Ram 1500. According to a GoFundMe page set up for the Town family, Todd and his wife Sandra were on their way to dinner at the time of the crash.
Police said Berry died on the scene, and both Todd and Sandra were rushed to the hospital with serious injuries. Todd died in the hospital at USMC Chautauqua. Sandra is currently still in the hospital at UPMC Hamot in Erie, Pa.
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Since the crash, local businesses who knew the Town family — and others who didn’t — want to help. State Police said based on their investigation, Berry suffered from mental illness and was reported missing to Chautauqua County 911 Saturday evening.
Logan Stearns runs a photography business in Jamestown and knows the Town family.
He’s raising money for the family through his business and says that’s just what people in this community do.
“It’s so heartbreaking to have something like that happen so suddenly,” Stearns said. “I mean this family lost their father, brother, all so quickly. And their mother is in serious condition. I’m not sure any updates on her yet, last I knew she was in critical condition, so it’s really heartbreaking all around and I really feel for the family.”
State Police are still investigating the crash.
Sarah Minkewicz is an Emmy-nominated reporter and Buffalo native who has been a part of the News 4 team since 2019. Follow Sarah on Twitter @SarahMinkewicz and click here to see more of her work.