May 2, 2008 2:14 pm US/Central
Trucks, Paratransit Van Crash Near Lincoln Park
CHICAGO (STNG) ―
A truck driver reportedly ran a red light, slamming into a Pace paratransit van and another truck Friday morning on the Near North Side near Lincoln Park.
No commuters were in the van at the time of the crash, which caused three injuries, including the van's driver.
An EMS Plan I, which sends five ambulances, was called for the crash at the intersection of Clark Street and LaSalle Drive, according to Fire Media Affairs Asst. Director Eve Rodriguez, who said a small truck, a pickup and a van were involved.
Two people were seriously hurt and taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, while a third was in fair condition at Lincoln Park Hospital, according to Rodriguez, who said the Plan I was canceled at 10:23 a.m.
None of the injuries seem to life-threatening, according to Near North District police Sgt. Shawn Joyce.
Police were notified of the three-vehicle crash at 9:41 a.m., according to News Affairs Officer Laura Kubiak, who had the address as 1665 N. Clark.
According to Pace spokesman Patrick Wilmot, a paratransit van was involved. The van is used by Pace to help disabled commuters but was not carrying any passengers at the time of the accident, he said.
The van driver, a man, was on his way to pick up a passenger when the driver of one of two trucks, either a small truck or a pickup, ran a red light and struck the van, according to Wilmot, who was citing a preliminary report.
"The driver did sustain injuries that were severe enough to require hospitalization,'' Wilmot said.
The van driver was taken to Northwestern with non-life-threatening injuries and the incident remains under investigation, according to Wilmot.
The Pace vehicle is owned and insured by a contract company that operates it, MV Transportation in Niles.
(Source: Sun-Times News Group Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2008. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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