By KATHY MELLOTT
DUNLO — With hopes of avoiding situations such as one that could have become a tragedy during the weekend, officials are asking people to use extreme caution traveling during snowstorms and to use well-traveled routes.
Motorists also need to call 911 as soon as they realize they’re in trouble, Adams Township police Chief Kirk Moss said Tuesday.
Two occupants of a pickup spent Friday night stranded on Strip Road, near the EverPower wind farm in the Ogle-Adams Township area, after they apparently became disoriented in heavily falling snow and the truck developed mechanical problems.
“I’ve told people not to go up on that mountain. You have no reason to be on the mountain in the night,” Moss said. “And you really shouldn’t take a vehicle like that, with some problems, on a road that gets no winter maintenance.”
Those sentiments were echoed by Samuel Buchovich Jr. of Windber, who made repeated attempts to rescue the man and woman in the pickup.
“Be prepared if you’re going to go out and try to tangle with nature,” Buchovich said. “Take blankets, boots, water, even some snacks.”
Buchovich is the founder of Big Rubbers 4x4 Custom Club, a nonprofit group promoting family oriented off-road activities. He was riding his four-wheeler when he came upon the stranded truck about 10:30 p.m.
“We didn’t figure the mountain road was going to get that bad that fast,” Buchovich said.
“The snow just kept coming.”
He tried three times to get up the mountain to help those in the truck.
Moss said he became aware of the stranded truck at 1 a.m. Saturday when he, Officer John McKnight and township Supervisor Dennis Richards were digging out a road to a facility owned by Cooney Bros. Coal Co. to get two large front-end loaders for use on township roads.
The rescue didn’t occur until noon Saturday. The man and woman were extremely cold, but are fortunate to have survived, Moss said.
Moss said it was because of a few people – including his officers John Heming, Ted Paluch and John McKnight, and Cooney employee John Holdsworth
– that the people weren’t stuck on the mountain longer.
