Category: Crash

May 15

Pennsylvania is Banning Cell Phones While Driving— Is Your State Next?

Pennsylvania drivers are about to get a nasty wake up call when they use their phones behind the wheel.

Distracted driving is a dangerous epidemic among motorists. For some drivers, catching up on the latest TikTok video, text, or mobile game is more important than paying attention to the road. To combat its safety concerns, the State of Pennsylvania is banning all handling of cell phones. And the Keystone State isn’t the only one.

Pennsylvania is the latest state banning cell phones while driving, and other states may follow

Anytime a driver prioritizes their smartphone screen over the road in front of them, they’re putting themselves and others at risk. After all, a 4,000-lb SUV is a weapon in the wrong hands. To lessen the tide of injuries, deaths, and property damage caused by cell phone use behind the wheel, many states have a zero-tolerance policy regarding texting and driving. And Pennsylvania is the latest state to join the safety initiative.

According to WJAC 6, the State of Pennsylvania is banning cell phone use while driving. The verbiage covers “handling a cell phone,” meaning motorists should still be able to use hands-free technology or integrated infotainment systems like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to place calls or use voice commands.

Governor Josh Shapiro’s staff confirmed that he would sign the bill soon. Moreover, the news comes 18 years after Governor Shapiro proposed similar legislation. The law will take effect one year from its signing.

A motorist seen here distracted driving by texting as he drives.
A distracted driver | perfectlab via iStock

Of course, Pennsylvania is far from the only state to impose such a measure. 28 states have some sort of ban on handling a cell phone while driving, from fielding a call with one hand to drafting text messages.

It’s a good idea, too. According to the Insurance Journal, distracted driving accounted for a greater number of crashes than alcohol use and tailgating. As such, distracting driving and dangerous cell phone use while driving are easy targets for lawmakers. It’s a tragedy that we need laws governing common sense.

Jan 18

Car crashes into local business

A local business is working to recover after a car plowed through their front window Thursday morning.

“It sounded like an explosion in there,” said Andy Barriga a store salesman who witnessed the crash. “It took me a second to even register what happened.”

The crash took place at Alpine Home Medical around 10:30 a.m. on 25th and Channing Way in Idaho Falls. Employees inside the store were not beside the window at the time of the crash. No injuries were reported.

“I ran out along with a bystander to her vehicle,” Barriga said. “She was lethargic, didn’t know where she was, who she was. We turned the car off, got her keys from her, called the police.”

Idaho Falls Police responded to the accident and evaluated the driver. Determinations on what may have caused her to lose control of her vehicle have not yet been released.

After the car was towed away, employees resumed work as normal for the day. But, they are working to get the hole boarded up before renovations can be completed.

“We have appointments with patients this afternoon that we still have to do,” said Barriga. “So, we’ll do the best to accommodate them and not let them get injured in the in the mess.”

In addition to the storefront damage, some power lines to the building were severed during the accident. The cost of repairs is unknown at this time.

Jan 18

SUV crashes into a Wichita storefront

An SUV crashed into a storefront Thursday morning.

It happened shortly before 11 a.m. in the 3100 block of E. Harry St.

Lieutenant Aaron Moses with the Wichita Police Department says a driver of an SUV thought they had placed their vehicle in park.

However, they accidentally accelerated and crashed into the from of the building. The Wichita Fire Department was called to the scene to ensure the building was still structurally sound.

No one was hurt.

Jan 18

Good Samaritans recall saving driver moments before train crashed into car in Fairport

A 27-year-old driver’s life was saved Wednesday night, less than two minutes before a train slammed into his car.

Police said the driver’s GPS directed him to turn right onto Railroad Street from Main Street in Fairport. Instead, he mistakenly turned onto the railroad tracks and became stuck.

Two good Samaritans who raced to get the driver out of his car said they had roughly 40 seconds to save a life.

BACKGROUND: Car struck by train in Fairport; citizen aids driver’s escape

“As soon as we started talking, the railroad crossing started going down,” recalled Larry Johncox, one of the two bystanders who sprung into action. “We just had to get out of the way.”

While driving down Main Street in Fairport with his family, Johncox said he saw the whole incident unfold.

“I knew a train was going to be coming, but still, I just wanted to try helping him,” Johncox said. “I couldn’t lift it. It bothered me so much that I couldn’t help, but I tried flagging down another gentleman.”

That gentleman was volunteer firefighter Bill Evans.

“We know that we have about 3/4 of a mile between when the train activates that signal and when it’s going to be at our Main Street crossing, so know we’ve got no time,” Evans said.

“I was yelling, I was trying (to tell him) to get out, I was trying to lift the car, I was trying to do everything,” Johncox added.

Evans said the driver was in a state of shock, but he and Johncox eventually managed to convince him to leave his car.

“We’ve had that situation where people have panicked and not gotten out of their car, and it’s been tragic results,” Evans said.

All three men got off the tracks just moments before the train struck the car.

“It just took it down the track,” Johncox recalled. “It was so crazy.”

Evans estimates he’s responded to more than three dozen incidents on the train tracks over his 43 years of service.

“I was there for a reason,” Evans said. “I don’t know why our paths crossed for the right reason, and I’m blessed that I was there.”

Connor Johncox, Larry’s son, was taking cover in his family’s car during the incident. He briefly feared his father was still on the tracks at the moment of the impact.

“He is sort of a hero,” Connor said.

Police said neither drugs nor alcohol contributed to the crash.

Jan 18

Police: Stolen SUVs crash, juveniles arrested

A pair of stolen BMW SUVs led to a pair of crashes Monday evening, according to local police agencies.

According to the Orono Police Department, around 8:30 p.m. on Jan. 15, officers responded to a stolen vehicle report on Togo Road related to a BMW SUV. An officer on Shoreline Drive spotted a vehicle matching the description.

Dec 18

Conflicting Reports After Police SUV Crashes into St. Louis Bar

Unraveling the Incident

ST. LOUIS – The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department faces scrutiny following a crash involving a police vehicle and a local bar. The incident occurred just before 12:30 a.m. Monday at Bar: PM located on the 7100 block of South Broadway in the Carondelet neighborhood. Two probationary police officers, driving a 2020 Chevrolet Tahoe, lost control of their vehicle and crashed into the bar’s front facade, sparking differing accounts of the crash’s cause.

Eyewitness and Police Accounts

According to police, the driver, fearing he was too close to a parked car, overcorrected and crashed. However, James Pence, who lives above the bar and rushed downstairs after hearing the crash, reported that the officer claimed he swerved to avoid a dog. This discrepancy has added confusion to the incident, with Pence describing the officer as very apologetic and polite.

Post-Crash Tensions and Arrest

Following the crash, Pence was briefly handcuffed over a disagreement about showing his identification to officers, a detail omitted from the police report. Bar co-owner Chad Morris, upset by the crash, confronted the officers, leading to a physical altercation. Police stated that Morris used profanity and shoved an officer, resulting in his arrest for third-degree assault and resisting arrest. He was taken to a hospital due to a pre-existing condition and later charged, held without bond.

Community Reaction and Ongoing Investigation

The investigation into the crash continues, with questions about whether the officers were tested for impairment and why their account of the incident changed. Community members, including patrons and friends, helped clean up the bar and protect it from potential looters. St. Louis Alderwoman Megan Green highlighted the bar owners’ importance to the LGBTQIA community and expressed hope for their swift reopening. The bar announced on Facebook that it would be closed Monday night but thanked customers for their support.

Dec 18

Drunk Driver Crashes into SUV Protecting Biden’s Motorcade Near Campaign HQ

Incident Details

On Sunday night, a 46-year-old Wilmington man, suspected of being intoxicated, accidentally collided with a parked SUV that was part of the security detail for President Joe Biden’s motorcade. The incident occurred as President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden were leaving his campaign headquarters. Thankfully, both the Bidens were unharmed during the commotion.

Police and Secret Service Response

The crash happened as Biden was walking from his campaign office to his waiting armored vehicle, with the sedan hitting a U.S. Secret Service SUV stationed to block off the area. Secret Service agents quickly surrounded the driver’s car with their weapons drawn and ordered him to surrender. The Wilmington police have since charged the driver with drunk and inattentive driving.

Impact on the President’s Schedule

The crash, which caused a loud noise and visible damage, briefly startled President Biden, who was quickly escorted into his vehicle by his security detail. Despite the disruption, the incident did not affect the president’s schedule, and he and the First Lady were safely transported home. According to Steve Kopek, a U.S. Secret Service spokesman, the situation was swiftly managed, and the driver was deemed not to pose a serious threat to the president.

Dec 18

Beginning Driver, 16, Rolls SUV In Glen Rock Pinball Crash

Her father told police she was out practicing with him when she made a right too wide off Maple Avenue and their Honda CR-V struck a vehicle stopped at the stop sign on Rodney Street shortly before noon Saturday, Dec. 16, Police Chief Dean Ackermann said.

At that point, “she panicked, overcompensated, lost control of the vehicle, hit a tree and the vehicle rolled over,” the chief said the dad reported.

He and the other driver were fine, but a Glen Rock EMS ambulance took his daughter to Hackensack University Medical Center with injuries that weren’t life-threatening, the chief said.

Glen Rock firefighters and members of Hawthorne Rescue assisted at the scene, he said.

A hydraulic lift tow truck righted the vehicle and removed it from the scene.

Dec 18

Juvenile driver crashes vehicle through Great Clips in northwest Harris County

A woman was injured after crashing a vehicle into a building Monday morning in northwest Harris County, according to Harris County Pct. 4 constable deputies.

The crash was reported at the Great Clips, located in the 7300 block of Louetta Road, near Stuebner Airline.

Constable deputies said the woman was taken to a local hospital for minor injuries.

No other injuries were reported.

It is unknown what caused the driver to crash into the building.

The initial report from Constable Mark Herman’s Office stated that the driver was a juvenile but later made the correction on Facebook that it was an elderly woman.

Dec 18

Drunk Driver Crashes into SUV in Biden’s Motorcade Security Zone

On Sunday night in Wilmington, a 46-year-old driver, suspected of being under the influence, accidentally crashed into a parked SUV securing President Joe Biden’s motorcade as he departed from his campaign headquarters. Fortunately, both President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden were not injured during the incident.

As President Biden was leaving his campaign office and heading towards his armored vehicle, the driver collided with a U.S. Secret Service SUV stationed to secure the area. The driver attempted to move further into the restricted intersection but was quickly subdued by Secret Service agents, who approached with their weapons drawn and ordered the driver to surrender.