An Ansonia woman is accused of driving under the influence after allegedly causing a crash that sent two vehicles into the trees along Route 8 north Tuesday evening.
Ellen Gottschalk, 53, was also charged with making an unsafe lane change.
According to an accident summary from state police in Bethany, Gottschalk was heading north in the right lane of Route 8 in Shelton in her 2005 Nissan Sentra when she attempted to move into the center lane.
Gottschalk’s Sentra struck a 2014 Honda Odyssey that was already in the center lane heading north, according to state police.
Both drivers lost control and careened into the highway’s wooded median.
The Honda ended up suspended atop trees, as shown by photos posted to the Valley Indy Facebook page.
The Honda was driven by Joon Cha, 48, of Beacon Falls, according to state police. He was trapped in the vehicle, and firefighters had to use the jaws of life to cut him out.
He suffered chest and back injuries and was taken by Echo Hose Ambulance to St. Vincent’s Hospital.
Cha’s Honda was totaled in the wreck. He was wearing a seat belt. The impact from the crash set off the vehicle’s airbag.
The crash happened at 7:25 p.m.
Gottschalk injured her wrist but declined medical attention, according to state police.
A court date was not available as of July 10.
The crash happened just south of exit 13.
The photos of the accident in the gallery are courtesy of readers Dan Bogen, Trudy Gindburg, and Echo Hose firefighters in Shelton.
The video below shows extensive damage to the Honda. It was posted on AJ’s Automotive’s Facebook page:
