Three cars were damaged early this morning in a hit-and-run accident outside an Ohio University building.
A car traveling west on Union Street crashed into two parked cars at about 1 a.m. today outside the Central Classroom building. The driver and any passengers reportedly fled the scene of the accident, which Athens Police Department officers identified as a hit-and-run.
Athens Fire Department Lieutenant Bruce Smith said the department received a call at 1:01 a.m. from two Union Street residents and arrived at the scene shortly after, finding no one in any of the three cars.
Among the cars was a black Mercury Grand Marquis, which police and witnesses said caused the accident. The Mercury hit a white Toyota Camry and a blue Chevy truck.
APD officer Shane Hartley said he thought two or three people were in the car, but he was unsure of the details because of varying witness accounts. The passengers in the car fled the scene before police arrived. No witnesses were injured but officers do not know the status of the Mercury passengers.
Robert Landrum was waiting outside the Central Classroom building to pick up a friend at the time of the accident.
I saw the black car come around the (Union Street) curve
he said. It looked left of center and I mean he was moving.
When authorities arrived, the Mercury, which witnesses said had been headed downhill in the right hand lane on Union Street, was in the left hand lane facing toward Court Street.
Its rear crashed into the parked Toyota, forcing it onto the sidewalk and crushing a parking meter. The front of the Toyota had been smashed and the rear also had severe damage. The Chevy was still in its parking space behind the Toyota but had been hit on the front as well.
Jason Deardorff, a fifth year Ohio University student, was the owner of the Toyota. He said he parallel parked his car at about 9 p.m. last night and did not return until 1:35 this morning.
I really loved this car it was the first car I ever had
he said.
Wanda Burchfild, who had parked her daughter's Chevy hours earlier, was working at the Union Street Diner at the time of the accident.
I heard a thumping
so I came out and saw my truck moving
Burchfild said. There was one boy and one girl running down the street. The girl was hollering at another boy who was running the other way (toward Court Street)
and they all took off together.
Landrum also said he saw three people fleeing the area, including a male holding his arm as if he was injured.
Hartley said there was no proof of insurance inside the Mercury, but based on the license plate, police know the car owner's identity but did not release his or her name. The investigation is ongoing.
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Ashley Venzel
