Park Forest, IL-(ENEWSPF)- It was a night of two crashes. The first, a head-on collision, the second took out the TimStrong squad car that responded to cover the accident. Saturday night after 9 p.m., Park Forest officers were on 26th Street conducting an investigation of a traffic crash with injuries. The initial crash was ugly, with one vehicle a tangled mess. According to Birch Street Townhomes resident Rich Whitehead, who provided most of the photographs here. According to Mr. Whitehead, “A woman and her baby were taken to hospital,” One driver appeared to have climbed out of the window of his vehicle, the black car, and fled on foot, according to Mr. Whitehead. There were some power lines affected, so some Area B residents were left in the dark.
Park Forest Firefighters Local 1263 reported that the two cars hit each other head on, “Last night, a head on collision between two cars, resulted in heavy damage to both vehicles,” the PFFD said Sunday in a statement. “Mix in downed power lines and a police squad getting struck on the scene, and it was a rough night. Patients were treated, with one being taken to Christ, and both fire and police did an excellent job handling the scene.”
Squad 16-1, more endearingly known to the Park Forest Police Department and members of the community as the “Timstrong” car, was blocking traffic with the emergency lights flashing when it was struck by another motorist.
“The squad car was unoccupied at the time of the collision,” police said in a statement Sunday. “Chicago Heights PD responded to investigate the crash. A driver from the initial crash was taken to Christ Hospital to be treated.”
Update 9:23 a.m. on June 4: The name of Birch Street Townhomes was changed to reflect the proper name of the co-op complex. Thanks to Mayor John Ostenburg for the correction.
