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Man injured in accident identified

ELKINS – Officials have released the identity of a local man who was transported by HealthNet helicopter to Morgantown after his truck went over an embankment Tuesday morning.

Dwayne M. McDaniel, 51, of Beverly, was flown to Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown to undergo treatment.

As of Wednesday evening, McDaniel was in the medical intensive care unit and was listed in critical condition, a Ruby Memorial Hospital official said.

McDaniel, who was driving a 2009 Toyota Tacoma truck, lost control of the vehicle and went over the embankment on Route 33 near Elkins, police said.

McDaniel had to be cut from the vehicle by emergency personnel. A landing space was created for the HealthNet helicopter in the parking lot of the Elkins Economy Inn hotel.

Randolph County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Brad Sharp said circumstances surrounding the collision are still being investigated.

Several other serious traffic accidents have been reported in the area in recent days, including:

– A Pontiac Grand Am, operated by Mary Blankenship of Huttonsville, traveling northbound on U.S. Route 219 in the Huttonsville area, ran off the roadway and traveled over an embankment before striking a tree Wednesday, police said.

The Randolph County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident. The cause of the accident was still undetermined at presstime.

– A one-vehicle accident shortly after 3 p.m. Tuesday in Barbour County sent two adults and one juvenile to Davis Medical Center with injuries, West Virginia State Police officials said.

Trooper J.J. Cornelius said he believed the vehicle, a 2011 Ford Focus, wrecked because of heavy rains.

He said the car likely hydroplaned on the Michael A. “Mikey” Hart Memorial Bridge in the eastbound lanes of Corridor H.

“The rain was very strong at that time and it may have happened because of water on the bridge,” Cornelius said. No citations have been issued but the incident is still under investigation, he said.

Randolph County EMS, Barbour County EMS, the Elkins Volunteer Fire Department and the Coalton Volunteer Fire Department also assisted at the scene.

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