Four people were taken to the hospital, three by ambulance and one by a family member, Wednesday evening after a five-car accident at Atwater Avenue and Henderson Street near the Henderson Parking Garage. No one was killed.
The driver of a red Toyota Tacoma truck, who was armed, was driving north on Henderson when he struck a car. He did not stop, and an officer traveling south on Henderson began following him, Bloomington Police Department Lt. Jeff Canada said.
As the truck crossed the busy Henderson and Atwater intersection, its driver hit a silver Toyota Camry. The Camry’s driver, IU senior Daniel Cao, was passing through a yellow light on Atwater when he saw a flash of red.
The red truck landed on top of Cao’s car. Cao was able to get out of the sedan. There was a passenger in the car, Cao’s friend.
The friend’s head was trapped between two airbags but was able to get free, Cao said. Then when his friend said he smelled smoke, Cao said they immediately got out of the car. The friend was taken to the hospital.
It wasn’t until moments later police shouted for people around the intersection to get back, Cao said. The driver of the truck had a handgun, Canada said. Responders had to cut off the top the car to get the driver out.
The driver was taken to the hospital with minor injuries. Police are unsure why he fled the first accident.
Investigators were reconstructing the scene in the hours after the accident.
