Lancaster High School star athlete severely injured in crash
LANCASTER, N.Y. (WIVB) — Lancaster High School senior and athlete Lincoln Counihan was left with severe injuries after he was in a car accident this past weekend. His family and friends are now rallying around him as he faces a long road to recovery.
The crash occurred around 5:30 p.m. on Sunday at the corner of Kennedy Court near Belmont Avenue.
As 18-year-old Counihan was pulling out of his parents’ driveway, he was struck by another car, driven by a 45-year-old male, on the driver’s side.
According to Lancaster police, Counihan was trapped inside his vehicle due to extensive damage. Lieutenant Shaun Dimino said when first responders arrived, they found Counihan in serious distress.
“There was an 18-year-old who was trapped inside the car due to heavy, heavy damage,” Dimino said.
Counihan’s mother, who was home at the time of the accident, rushed outside to find the two cars severely crumpled, with Counihan’s car pinned against a pine tree. She could hear him moaning in pain before fire and police crews arrived on the scene.
Counihan was trapped in the vehicle for nearly an hour before being freed.
“I really felt helpless,” Dimino said. “You could see the amount of pain he was in just from his face, his expression, and obviously the cries for help.”
Counihan was taken to ECMC where doctors began working on his extensive injuries. He suffered a shattered pelvis, broken ankle, knee and cheekbone, along with bruised lungs and internal bleeding, some of which required surgery.
Miraculously, Counihan did not sustain any spinal or brain injuries, and as of Tuesday, he was responsive. His parents, who wanted to remain off camera, expressed gratitude that their son’s condition wasn’t worse despite the nature of the crash.
Counihan’s friends, teammates and coaches are devastated by the accident. Three of his soccer teammates shared their shock and sadness.
“It was just pure shock and horror. I was just really set back by that,” they said. “I didn’t know what to think. I didn’t know what to say. I was heartbroken, devastated. You wouldn’t want to wish that on anyone.”
Known around Lancaster High School for his athleticism, Counihan has been a standout on the soccer and track teams. He captained the varsity soccer team to back-to-back section championships and led the track team to state and national competitions.
Coaches and teammates said he is a driving force behind the team’s success.
“He was definitely a core part of the team. It’s hard. I don’t think he’s replaceable,” said Liam Dunning, one of Counihan’s track teammates. “He’s a big role model, and the team looks up to him.”
“He’s always been just this motivating guy. He’s the role model,” his friends on the soccer team said. “He’s always the first one to do an exercise, workouts, lead the team onto the field.”
Counihan’s future in sports was particularly bright. He had recently committed to St. Bonaventure University to run Division 1 track. His track and field coach, Rich Skrabucha, expressed hope for his recovery.
“We’re really hopeful that he can get himself squared away, get himself healthy again, to be able to participate in the sport that he really loves,” Skrabucha said.
“Counihan meant a lot to this team, and I’m really hurt that this is happening to him right now,” said track coach Chris Dabney.
His soccer teammates echoed these sentiments, offering their support and confidence in his ability to recover.
“We know Counihan is very strong and we know he can come back from this.”
While the investigation into the cause of the crash continues, Lancaster police confirmed that speed was a contributing factor in the collision.
The Counihan family and his friends have set up a GoFundMe page to assist with medical bills and other expenses during this time.
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Dillon Morello is a reporter from Pittsburgh who has been part of the News 4 team since September of 2023. See more of his work here and follow him on Twitter.
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