Manlius (WSYR-TV) - A 23-year-old woman is dead after
a one-car crash early Monday morning in Manlius.
Police say Marissa Ahlsen's car left Pompey Center Road and struck a utility pole, then rolled over several times.
Neighbors along the stretch of road believe this most recent accident highlights a need for change.
At this point, police are not sure what caused Ahlesen to lose control of her 1997 Honda Civic.
Randy Graham lives near the accident scene.
“I saw the lights about 4…then Dan (Cummings) came on at about 4:30…Breaking News on Pompey Center Road,” Graham said.
Graham has lived along Pompey Center Road for more than 50 years, a short distance from where the crash took place. He’s witnessed his share of bad accidents, including one that happened just across the street from his home.
People who live along the road say that the word “bad” doesn’t begin to describe it – car accidents caused by excessive speed or drivers swerving to avoid wildlife in the road. A little more than a year ago, an accident in front of Graham’s house claimed a young man’s life.
“So we've lost two people in a year and a half, in a half mile stretch of road...I don't know what we can do,” he said.
Graham says he would like to see a reduced speed limit. While it is not known whether or not such a measure would have prevented Monday morning’s crash, Graham believes it would go a long way toward making Pompey Center Road safer overall.
The posted speed limit in the crash area is 40 miles per hour. There are sections, however, where the speed limit is 50. At this point, there is no move toward reducing the speed limit in the area.
