July 11, 2002 * 02-50-01

(Between KINGSTON and POULSBO, Kitsap County) -- A 78 year-old woman was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center and a 31 year-old man was transported by ambulance to Harrison Memorial Hospital after a two-car crash on Bond Road Thursday afternoon.

North Kitsap Fire & Rescue crews were called to the 50 mph road's intersection with Port Gamble Road at about 4:30pm. Arriving at the scene, firefighters found a Chevy Suburban with severe front end damage and blocking part of Bond's westbound (Kingston to Poulsbo)lane. A mid-size sedan lay next to the Chevy, with massive damage to its right side -- the area of the passenger door was caved in at least two feet -- and the remainder of the car's front end buried into a bank. An elderly woman -- the driver and sole occupant of the sedan -- had been helped from her vehicle by bystanders and was lying in the grass nearby. Although she told crews that she'd been wearing her lap and shoulder belt and it was evident that the airbag had deployed, the apparent force of the crash with the Suburban as well as the bank likely caused serious chest injuries. Medics also suspected that she may have suffered head and hip injuries. An Airlift Northwest helicopter was called to David Wolfle Elementary for the woman's rapid transport to the Seattle trauma center.

The driver and sole occupant of the Suburban was also protected by a lap and shoulder belt as well as deployed airbag. His door jammed against the sedan, he'd moved to the passenger seat in an attempt to exit the wrecked car -- but the passenger door couldn't be opened either. Firefighters used hydraulic extrication tools to free the man who was complaining of neck, back, abdominal and leg pain. Aid crews transported the man to the Bremerton hospital.

Traffic was slowed for approximately an hour.