Jackson Township crash forces C-section; baby dies
A pregnant woman involved in a two-vehicle accident Friday afternoon needed an emergency cesarean section, and the baby did not survive.
State police responded to the crash on Golden Oaks Road at the intersection with Aleppo Road in Jackson Township at 12:38 p.m.
Phillip B. Hixson, 36, of Uniontown, was driving east on Aleppo Road and drove through the intersection of Aleppo and Golden Oaks roads. Dorothy A. Lavigne, 22, of New Freeport, was driving south on Golden Oaks Road, approaching the intersection. Hixson was attempting to make a left turn onto Golden Oaks Road when Lavigne hit Hixon, according to the state police crash report.
Hixon spun about 15 feet from the initial impact point. Lavigne continued for about 10 feet, leaving the road, driving over a small embankment and stopping.
Hixon was not transported from the scene, and according to the report, had a suspected minor injury from the crash.
Lavigne, who was pregnant, was taken to Ruby Memorial Hospital, Morgantown, W.Va. While at the hospital, an emergency C-section was performed due to complications from the crash.
“After approximately five hours, the baby was pronounced dead by hospital doctors,” according to the release.
The release states Lavigne was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.
There were three passengers in Lavigne’s vehicle. Kimberly J. Lavigne, 26, of New Freeport, was flown to Ruby with a suspected minor injury. It is not known if she was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash, the report stated.
Glen W. Johnson, 49, of New Freeport, was not injured. A male, unnamed infant passenger from New Freeport in a rear-facing car seat was also not injured.
Hixon, according to the release, was cited for failure to stop at a stop sign, while Dorothy Lavigne was cited for a registration/title violation.
The vehicle driven by Hixon sustained functional damage, while the other vehicle was disabled. Both sustained front-end damage from the near head-on crash.
State police continue their investigation.