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July 15, 2004
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July 15, 2004 |
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Driver hits several vehicles in major accident downtown
Downtown Yellow Springs was the scene of a major accident Tuesday morning, as a driver hit at least four vehicles and sent herself and two other drivers to Greene Memorial Hospital. Shelley Colbert, who was drinking a cup of coffee downtown, said that the driver who caused the accident, Cassie Wallace, was “careening up the street, back and forth.” One witness who asked not to be identified called the accident “absolutely horrifying.” Wallace was admitted to Greene Memorial. Hospital personnel would not discuss her condition. She was not wearing her seatbelt. Yellow Springs resident Bambi Williams, who was heading north on Xenia when her car was hit, was treated and released around 5 p.m. She broke a toe, a rib and had a gash above and below one of her eyebrows that required stitches. She underwent a CAT Scan and several X-rays. The driver of another vehicle that was hit, a Saturn, was also transported to Greene Memorial. The man’s condition was unknown. Police Chief Carl Bush said that the identity of the Saturn driver had not been confirmed, although he noted that the driver’s vehicle registration “does not come back to Yellow Springs.” The accident occurred around 10:10 a.m. when Wallace ran a red light at Xenia Avenue and Corry Street and entered downtown Yellow Springs. Bush said that a tractor-trailer driver, who was stopped at the light, reported that her vehicle passed him to run the light. Numerous witnesses said that Wallace was driving extremely fast. Traveling south on Xenia Avenue, Wallace’s Red GMC Jimmy struck and knocked over a trash can in front of Pettit’s BP at which point she apparently lost control of her vehicle. The vehicle proceeded down Xenia, when it struck Williams’s Buick Rendezvous “almost head-on” in front of The Emporium, Bush said, then struck the Saturn from behind. The collision caused the Saturn to go into a tailspin. The car, with its back end completely smashed, ended up 30 to 50 feet from the presumed point of impact, facing opposite its original direction. After hitting the Saturn, Wallace’s vehicle veered to the right and hit a Harley-Davidson motorcycle and a minivan, both of which were parked in front of Tom’s Market. The Jimmy finally stopped in front of Deaton’s Do it Best Hardware. Several people who witnessed the accident said that Wallace’s car went airborne at some point during the incident. During an interview late Tuesday afternoon, Bush said that investigators were still trying to determine how fast Wallace’s vehicle was traveling. He did say that it was moving “in excess of the posted speed limit” of 25. Bush said that it was unclear what caused the accident. It will take a week or two for police to receive results of blood analysis determining if alcohol or drugs played a part in the accident, he said, adding that Greene Memorial ran similar tests, the results of which could be available this week. Wallace’s last known address was Russell’s Point, Ohio, Bush said. The tag on her license plate said the vehicle was registered in Logan County. He said that “criminal and traffic charges” against Wallace “will be pending” following a review of the case by the Greene County’s prosecutor’s office. EMTs used the Jaws of Life to remove Williams and Wallace from their vehicles. Fire Chief Colin Altman said that both women were conscious after the accident. The driver of the Saturn was walking around when EMTs arrived, Altman said. On Tuesday night, Williams said that she was “feeling just fine.” “I’m just happy to be home and be OK,” she said. Bob Baldwin, who was riding in the passenger seat of Williams’s car, said that he had aches and pains but walked away from the accident without a scratch, which he credited to his seatbelt and the air bag that deployed during the accident. In addition to the Yellow Springs Police Department, the Ohio State Highway Patrol and the Greene County sheriff’s department assisted. Thirteen Miami Township Fire-Rescue personnel and fire departments from Fairborn, Hustead and Xenia Township responded. Police blocked off Xenia Avenue to traffic immediately after the accident. The street was reopened around 2:25 p.m. Law enforcement officials used police tape to cordon off the accident area, between the drive to Tom’s Market and Short Street. Much glass and various automobile parts were littered on the ground between the BP station and Deaton’s Hardware. People lined Xenia Avenue as rescue personnel attended to the victims and law enforcement officials started their investigation. Bush said that the police received about 10 to 15 statements from witnesses. Williams said that she first spotted Wallace’s vehicle near the BP station and “within seconds I saw this crazy, zigzagging vehicle coming at me.” Baldwin said that he had about two seconds to react before the crash. He said he does not remember the air bags deploying. Many Yellow Springers who were downtown Tuesday afternoon gave similar, but sometimes conflicting, reports of the accident. Eric Clark, who was stopped in his car on Xenia Avenue, said Wallace’s vehicle drove through the light so fast it was traveling on two wheels. As the car went out of control and started hitting cars, Clark said, “It was literally raining glass.” Jillyanna Morris, a Miami Township Fire-Rescue volunteer who was working at Glen Garden Gifts, rushed to attend to Wallace, who, she said, was badly hurt and bleeding profusely. “I tried to calm her down,” Morris said, noting that Wallace was singing, so she joined in. Patty Millman, who was getting her hair cut at The Shop, also attended to Wallace. Millman said that Wallace was saying, “I made it, God. I’m here, God.” Millman also talked to the driver of the Saturn, who told her that his shoulder hurt, but he was fine. Pete Shelkin, who owned the motorcycle that was hit, was in Deaton’s when the accident occurred. He described the scene as “pandemonium.” His motorcycle sustained some damage, including a broken windshield and front headlight. Throughout the day, numerous people remarked that it was fortunate that no pedestrians or bystanders were hurt. “It was amazing that no one was crossing the street,” said Minerva Bieri, who manages The Emporium and witnessed part of the accident. “Someone is always crossing the street” in front of The Emporium. |
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