Guthrie County Deputy Sheriff Kent Gries reported a single-vehicle accident occurring on Frontier Road on Feb. 15 at 12:35 p.m. Eric Lee Ireland, 43, of Scranton, was driving a 2017 GMC Acadia SLE southbound in the 3300th of Frontier Road and crossed the center line, crossed the northbound lane, entered the east ditch, struck a field entrance, went airborne, landed nose first and overturned onto the vehicle top. When the vehicle overturned, the front seat passenger, Bridgette Nichole Perez, was ejected through the windshield. Perez landed on the ground, and the vehicle vaulted over her, missing her by mere feet. Ireland was not wearing his seat belt and landed upside down on the interior roof of the vehicle. Perez and Ireland suffered significant injuries that were not believed to be life threatening. A juvenile female born in 2014 was in the back seat of the vehicle restrained in a car seat. The juvenile was not injured. Both Perez and Ireland were transported by Stuart EMS and Adair EMS to the Guthrie County Hospital. Ireland stated he believes he fell asleep prior to the collision. The airbag in front of Perez deployed, as did the side curtain air bags. The driver’s front air bag did not deploy. Damage to the Acadia is estimated at $20,000. Ireland was charged with Failure to Prove Security Against Liability – Accident Related, Failure to Maintain Control, and Failure to Use Safety Belt. Perez was charged with Failure to Use Safety Belt.
