Three injured in bus stop crash

Keith Paul

Monday, Aug. 27, 2001 | 11:16 a.m.

A pickup driver injured at least two people when he crashed his truck into a bus stop shelter early this morning on the city's northeast side, Metro Police said.

A 29-year-old man apparently lost control of his truck about 5 a.m. and hit the bus shelter in the 1500 block of North Eastern Avenue near Owens Avenue. The truck then traveled down the sidewalk on southbound Eastern Avenue and hit a fire hydrant, severing it, police said.

The truck traveled more than 100 feet before coming to rest after hitting a pole. The driver was taken to University Medical Center and was listed in serious condition. Two other men were also injured in the accident.

A 42-year-old man was taken into surgery early today and no condition was available. A 22-year-old man was being evaluated in the hospital's trauma center and his condition was not available, hospital officials said.

It was not clear if the two injured were in the bus shelter or were walking on Eastern when they were hit.

A clerk at a nearby convenience store saw the accident and called 911. Traffic was shut down on Eastern from the scene of the accident to Owens Avenue during the morning hours.

The cause of the accident is under investigation.