Spectacular crash on Broadway

Multiple injuries reported in collision

By JOHN RECH

news@theeveningtimes.com

A spectacular three-vehicle crash on West Broadway near Sonic drew a lot of social media attention last Wednesday. Citizen on board video, and a report from the Crittenden EMS ambulance service provided details of the injury accident on its Facebook page. The West Memphis Police Department provided a narrative six days later at the conclusion of its investigation.

West Memphis businessman Darrin Christley posted rear-view camera video of the start of the crash. It showed an impatient driver repeatedly looking to pass traffic in the left lane. Finally, the eastbound car jutted blindly left into the center turn lane at what appeared in the video to be full throttle. The crash occurred near Rhodes with an initial head on collision as the car struck an SUV already in the turn lane. The initial vehicle spun and collided with another east bound vehicle.

Multiple people were injured. A passenger in the first car suffered a broken leg and the driver need stitches. Some crash victims were critically injured. City police and ambulance responded along with private ambulance services.

See CRASH, page A2

Photo via Facebook

This screen capture of a passing by motorist revealed part of the aftermath of a three-vehicle crash near Sonic last week. West Memphis city ambulance and two private ambulance services responded. Crash victims, some initially reported in critical condition, were transported to Memphis hospitals.

From page A1

“A multiple casualty incident was declared, and initial units began immediate triage,” said the Crittenden EMS post. “Additional engine companies and chief of_cers from the WMFD, CEMS supervisor and additional ambulances from Baptist Ambulance were dispatched and responded.”

Those in the accident were medically assessed.

“All patients were triaged, treated and transported to various Memphis hospitals,” read the post. “Great teamwork from Memphis MedCom for helping coordinate receiving facilities for several critically injured patients.”

West Memphis police yesterday issued a no-name narrative of the crash.

The vehicle starting the chain reaction crash was reported by police as traveling at high rate of speed in the outside lane 50 feet west of North Rhodes Street. That vehicle changed lanes to the center left turn only lane where it plowed headlong into an SUV. The _rst vehicle skidded south across the eastbound lanes where it struck a third vehicle in the righthand lane according to the police narrative.