Rochester (NY) Democrat and Chronicle Article on April 6, 2004
Alan Morrell and Meaghan McDermott
AMORRELL@DemocratandChronicle.com and MCDERMOT@DemocratandChronicle.com
Woman killed in Gates crash
In a separate, similar accident, an 18-year-old is seriously injured.
Monday, April 5, 2004 - One woman was killed and another was seriously injured in two similar but unrelated crashes that occurred Monday morning in Gates.
The accidents happened about 10 minutes apart and both were blamed on snowy or icy roads. The earlier crash involved a 48-year-old woman who was killed; her 19-year-old daughter was driving. The later crash involved an 18-year-old woman who was injured while her 47-year-old mother was driving.
The first accident occurred about 7:45 a.m. on Brooks Avenue.
Gates Police Chief Tom Roche said 19-year-old Kathryn Zambito of Teresa Circle was driving eastbound in the 1500 block of Brooks Avenue when she was momentarily blinded by bright sun. When Zambito could see clearly again, she noticed the car ahead of her slowing down and applied her brakes, Roche said.
Zambito's car slid sideways into an underpass andwas struck on the passenger side by a 1989 Ford beingdriven by Dwayne Burns, 53, of Hilton, Roche said.
Zambito's mother, Patricia Zambito, was freed by the Gates Chili Fire Department and taken to Strong Memorial Hospital, where she was pronounced dead, said Roche.
Burns and Kathryn Zambito suffered minor injuries. Roche said speed was not a factor in the crash and no tickets were issued.
"It was just one of those unfortunate, tragic accidents," he said.
The second accident occurred about 7:55 a.m. on Hinchey Road. Karen Licata of 49 Fairholm Drive was headed west and going around a curve when she lost control of her vehicle. The passenger side slammed into a utility pole, said Monroe County sheriff's Deputy John Helfer.
Licata's daughter, Joanna Licata, suffered serious head injuries, Helfer said. Both were taken to Strong, where Joanna Licata was listed in guarded condition. Karen Licata was treated and released. No tickets were issued.