PEABODY — Two drivers were seriously injured in a head-on collision between a Chevy Cavalier and Ryder rental truck on busy Lowell Street yesterday, shortly before noon.
Suzanne Coughter of 161 Newbury St., Peabody, appeared to have driven her compact car into the opposing lane of traffic, striking the truck, police said.
She was airlifted from Peabody High School to Beth Israel Hospital in Boston.
The truck driver, Glenn Jalbert of 10 Goodrich St., Peabody, was taken by ambulance to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. He was listed in fair condition yesterday afternoon, according to a hospital spokeswoman.
Deputy fire Chief Paul Hinchion said the woman suffered serious leg and possible chest and head injuries. Firefighters with Engine 3 and Ladder 1 used extraction tools to cut her from the wreckage.
"Her legs were really trapped in there," Hinchion said.
Firefighters removed the roof and driver's-side door, then had to push away the steering wheel and foot pedals to free her, he said. Both front air bags in the mangled Cavalier had deployed.
The truck's front end was also crushed.
A passenger in the truck was the only witness, police Lt. John De Rosa said. The state police accident reconstruction team is investigating.
Stephanie Cummings of 433 Lowell St. said she heard a loud noise as she was leaving her house yesterday at the time of the accident. She initially thought the noise was from bike path construction across the street.
Then, she heard someone yell out to call 911.
"I ran back in the house," Cummings said, and called police.
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