A New Berlin motorist pulled from a burning pickup truck Friday died Sunday, authorities said.
Carl D. Carpenter, 66, died of massive internal injuries, including chest injuries, Otsego County Coroner James Dow said. Carpenter died at M.I. Bassett Hospital on Sunday morning, Dow said.
Carpenter, who was helped out of his truck by passers-by, wasn't burned, Otsego County Sheriff Richard Devlin Jr. said.
The operator of the second vehicle, Chase R. Devine, of Brackney, Pa., was ticketed for failure to keep right and is to appear in Pittsfield Town Court at a later date, said deputies, who are continuing the investigation with the sheriff's accident-reconstruction team.
Devine was in good condition Sunday at Bassett Hospital, spokeswoman Karen Huxtable said.
Dow said he heard from deputies that the operator of the second vehicle fell asleep at the wheel.
Devlin said the driver didn't say he had fallen asleep, but that it's possible.
The investigation continues, Devlin said, and why Devine crossed the yellow line may never be known. Alcohol or drugs weren't factors in the crash, Devlin said, and a report may be done in a couple of weeks.
At 4:41 p.m. Friday, the Otsego County 911 Center received an 911 emergency call reporting a two-vehicle head-on collision, with injuries and one vehicle on fire, deputies said in a media release.
The accident was on county Route 13 in the town of
Pittsfield, and crews from the Pittsfield Fire Department and sheriff's office were dispatched.
``You could tell by the scent it was a serious accident,'' Devlin said.
Pittsfield and Morris emergency squads took Carpenter and Devine to M.I. Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown. Garrattsville emergency crews assisted.
Deputies said Devine was driving west on county Route 13 just west of the Pine Tree Road intersection when, for unknown reasons, the vehicle crossed the double-yellow center line and struck the pickup truck head-on.
Devine's Jeep overturned and landed on the driver's side in a ditch just off of the eastbound lane, deputies said.
The pickup truck came to rest in the eastbound land and caught fire, deputies said, and passers-by stopped and helped remove Carpenter from his truck.
Devine got out of his vehicle on his own, Devlin said, and details on his injuries weren't available.
Carpenter was driving a 1996 Ford F-150 pickup truck, the release said, and Devine was driving a 1996 Jeep Cherokee. Devlin said both men were wearing seat belts.
Dow said Carpenter had been highly regarded in the community and previously was active in the emergency squad.
``His death is no doubt a tragedy,'' Dow said.
Deputies and Pittsfield Fire Department crews were at the scene for about three hours while the sheriff's reconstruction team investigated the accident.
Ted's Body Shop of New Berlin assisted at the scene and removed the vehicles.
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