At approximately 3:37 p.m. on Feb. 10, officers of the Morgantown Police Department responded to a report of a motor vehicle crash on Monongahela Boulevard between 8th Street and Patteson Drive.
A rockslide, including a very large boulder, fell from the top of the hillside onto and across Monongahela Boulevard. One vehicle, being operated by Susan Cramer, 65 years of age of Morgantown, struck one of the boulders in the roadway. Cramer suffered several severe injuries that required transportation to Ruby Memorial Hospital. While at the hospital, it was learned that Cramer received several broken bones and internal injuries requiring surgery. Cramer is currently recovering from her surgery; no other updates regarding her condition will be available.
Some of the rock debris traveled across Monongahela Boulevard, damaging a protective fence and landing on the West Virginia University Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) tracks. A PRT car was in operation and occupied by nine riders at the time. It is believed that the PRT struck a rock that was lying on the tracks causing damage to the PRT car and injuring two riders. The riders of the car were extracted by members of the Morgantown Fire Department and transported to Ruby Memorial Hospital where they were admitted for treatment. The extent of their injuries and current condition is not available.
The Morgantown Police Department, Morgantown Fire Department and WVU Police Department closed the roadway and detoured traffic for several hours pending the arrival of heavy equipment from the West Virginia Division of Highways (WV DOH). The WV DOH cleared the roadway and is currently evaluating the stability of the hillside. Monongahela Boulevard was re-opened around 6:30 p.m. and remains open at this time.
The Morgantown Police Department is preparing the motor vehicle crash report and WVU Police Department will be preparing the report regarding the crash of the PRT. Statements are still being gathered from several witnesses.
The long-term response to this incident is pending the review of the hillside, roadways and PRT tracks by WVU Engineers, WV DOH Engineers as well as Morgantown staff and Monongalia County Office of Emergency Management.