Three people were hospitalized Thursday after a two-vehicle accident in which one motorist left the scene.
A 2011 Chevy Suburban collided with a Pontiac Grand Prix at the intersection of Elm and Barrentine streets around 3 p.m.
Assistant Greenwood Police Chief Marvin Hammond said that according to witness reports, the Pontiac was traveling north on Barrentine Street. The driver of the Suburban, entering Barrentine from Elm Street, failed to obey a stop sign at the intersection, resulting in the collision.
“Witnesses told us that the driver of the Suburban did take off running,” said Hammond.
Greenwood Assistant Fire Chief John Lewis said it appeared that the Suburban pushed the Pontiac into a ditch on the side of Barrentine and it hit a metal fence-post imbedded in concrete, which stopped the vehicle’s movement. Three people were trapped in the Pontiac.
Firefighters cut off the roof of the Pontiac and used a hydraulic rescue tool to extract the victims. All three were taken to Greenwood Leflore Hospital by ambulance.
Neither Hammond nor Lewis had been given the names of those involved in the accident this morning.
One of the victims appeared to be in decent condition and “pretty much helped” remove the other two victims from the vehicle, Lewis said.
Hammond said the injuries sustained by those in the Pontiac were not life-threatening. All three were scheduled to be released from the hospital today.
The police had not apprehended the driver of the Suburban this morning, but “we’re tracking him down,” said Hammond. “We have a pretty good idea of where he is.”
• Contact Nick Rogers at 581-7235 or nrogers@gwcommonwealth.com.
