08/25/2010 // West Palm Beach, FL, USA // Sandra Quinlan // Sandra Quinlan
Kingston, TN—Police believe the man behind the wheel of a van that crashed through a Kingston hair salon Tuesday, August 24, 2010 might have suffered a medical episode prior to the accident. The collision left 10 people with injuries ranging from non-life threatening to critical, according to information provided by KnoxNews.com.
Reports indicated 52-year-old Richard Ward was driving a Dodge minivan when he lost control of the minivan. Kingston Police Department Chief Jim Washam alleged, “It appears that the gentleman driving the vehicle was having some kind of medical event,” such as a seizure.
The van struck a Dodge Charger before smashing through the front of Classic Styles salon, careening up to 25 feet before coming to a rest inside the building. The accident left nine people inside the building, as well as Ward, with various injuries.
A 15-foot-wide hole in the salon could be seen after the van crash. Tiffany Coy, a former part-time emergency medical services (EMS) worker who now works as a massage therapist at the salon, was in a back room of the building when the van wreck occurred.
“There was a van sitting where all my friends were at – where they were supposed to be working… (My first reaction) was to try and find my friends to see if they were hurt,” said Coy. “They were. Every one of them,” she added.
Washam reported that six people were flown to University of Tennessee Medical Center via medical helicopter. Ambulances were used to rush the remaining four crash victims to nearby hospitals.
With regard to Coy’s helpful actions following the horrific accident, Washam stated, “From what I’ve seen, she was going from patient to patient, trying to get their personal information… and she also assisted emergency personnel.”
“I think she was working on her adrenaline. I believe she wanted to beak down a couple times, but the adrenaline kicked in and she did a very good job,” Washam added.
Police also noted that the Kingston vehicle-salon accident likely would have been worse if the van didn’t slow on impact of the Dodge Charger. “That might have saved lives,” Washam said.
Investigations continue.
Legal News Reporter: Sandra Quinlan– Legal News for Tennessee Personal Injury Lawyers.
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