ELLERY — Drugs apparently had a role in a vehicle going off the road and striking a tree on Friday afternoon.

Chautauqua County Sheriff’s deputies responded to Route 430 near Lin Aveune after receiving several calls of the accident around 1:30 p.m. The investigation showed that a vehicle being operated by Walter Whitfield, 42, of Celoron and a female passenger left the road for no apparent reason and hit a tree head on.

First responders on scene were able to pull Whitfield out of the vehicle through the driver’s side window. His female passenger who was later identified as Barbara Houser, 33, of Stockton was trapped in the vehicle and had to be freed by fire personnel. Whitfield was transported by ambulance to UPMC in stable condition. Houser was flown to Hamot Hospital in Erie in serious condition.

The Chautauqua County Accident Reconstruction Team responded to assist with the investigation. Whitfield was charged with failure to keep right, second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation from having 10 previous suspensions, and driving while ability impaired by drugs. He was also charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. Houser will be charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Route 430 was reduced to one lane for several hours while state DOT removed the tree. Further charges are pending further investigation of the crash. Anyone with additional information is asked to call the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office at 716-753-2131.