East Hampton Mom Says Daughter Was Run Off Road In Rollover Crash

MIDDLETOWN, CT — An East Hampton woman says her 19-year-old daughter was seriously injured when she was run off the road by another vehicle on I-91 in Middletown and is pleading for the other driver to come forward, according to NBC Connecticut.

Judy Barney Costen told NBC Connecticut that her daughter, Sarah Barney, is a dance teacher and an acrobat and her future as a dancer is questionable after suffering fractures in both of her legs. Barney was taken to the hospital via LifeStar at about 11 a.m. on Wednesday after the rollover crash on I-91 South in Middletown, according to Connecticut State Police.

Police said the Jeep she was driving was in the left lane when "at least one witness saw a silver truck merge from the center lane into the left lane causing the operator of the Jeep to cut left to avoid being hit by the truck." The Jeep entered the grass shoulder to the left and rolled several times, according to police.

A GoFundMe page, titled “Sarah Wants To Dance Again!!,” has been created to help the family with expenses and to help “put her back on her feet.” More than $1,400 has been raised in the first 14 hours of the campaign. (Update: More than $3,300 has been raised as of Saturday evening)

“Sarah was a tap, ballet, lyrical and acrobatic teacher,” reads a post on the GoFundMe page. “She also was an aspiring circus performer practicing in aerial silks, contortion, single and partner acrobatics and flying trapeze. Sarah’s career has been put on hold indefinitely because of a careless person who ran her off the road causing her to flip her Jeep 5 times. The truck then sped away never looking back. She was flown by Life Star with concerns that she would lose her foot. She waits patiently at the Trauma Unit waiting for her body to calm down from the shock so they can operate on her legs. She also suffers from lumbar spine fracture and pneumothorax of the right side. Sarah’s dad just lost his job Nov 11 and subsequently lost their family’s health insurance. This beautiful girl still tries to smile and laugh even though the pain is excruciating and her fever boils her body.”

Police are continuing to investigate the crash and any witnesses who may have seen the silver truck and/or have information are asked to contact TFC Falana at (860) 534-1000.

Read the full story at NBC Connecticut here.

Visit the GoFundMe page here.

Photo via Go Fund Me / Go Fund Me is a Patch promotional partner.