ACCIDENT ON ROUTE 18 — Tragedy befell a Middlebourne man and his mother as they rounded a turn on Feb. 5 to be struck head-on by another driver. All persons involved in the accident were transported. One remains in the hospital.

Three people were transported to area hospitals after an accident on W.Va. 18 on Feb. 5.

The collision occurred at approximately 11:10 a.m. on a stretch of road known as “tanker turn.”

Joshua King, 26, of Paden City, was traveling north in his 2005 Dodge pickup. As he entered the turn, unsafe speeds caused him to lose control of his vehicle. King went left of center, resulting in a head-on collision with the 1995 Chevrolet pickup driven by Roger Blizzard, 62, of Middlebourne.

Blizzard’s mother, Helen, was a passenger in his truck.

According to Sgt. J.A. Laing of the Paden City Detachment of the West Virginia State Police, roadway conditions at the time of the accident were unfavorable in places due to chilly temperatures. “Patches of moisture on the roadway froze causing portions to be slick,” Laing commented.

Extensive damage was reported to both vehicles.

King, Blizzard and his mother suffered injuries from the accident. King was transported via ambulance to Wetzel County Hospital; the Blizzards were transported to Sistersville General Hospital.

Both men were treated for minor injuries and released. Helen remains in critical conditions due to the severity of her injuries.

King was cited by Laing for failure to maintain control of his vehicle.

In addition to the state police, paramedic units 482 and 483 of Middlebourne, fire station 20 of Middlebourne and fire station 30 of Sistersville responded to the scene.