A chaotic five-vehicle crash in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, injured nine people Thursday night and left one car tipped onto its side.
The collision happened around the intersection of Penn Avenue and East Swissvale Avenue on Nov. 20, local outlets reported. Earlier in the evening, Pittsburgh police detectives had pulled over a vehicle in another area. According to police, the driver took off. Officers did not chase the car, citing city policy.
Shortly afterward, the fleeing vehicle barreled into four other cars at Penn and Swissvale, said City Councilman Khari Mosley in a Facebook video. “It was quite the scene,” Mosley added as he described what unfolded.
Witness Jarred Reccek told WTAE he saw a Dodge Durango “flying from across the street” toward the intersection. He said the Durango ran a red light, struck a Honda traveling eastbound on Penn, and then ricocheted into other vehicles. The impact was so severe that the Durango flipped, slamming into a Kia nearby and pushing it into a Chevrolet Impala behind it.
Police said nine people were hurt. Six were taken to the hospital, and all were listed in stable condition with injuries described as non-life-threatening.
Detectives arrested Dior Richardson, 37, in connection with the initial traffic stop in Pittsburgh’s East Hills neighborhood and the subsequent crash in Wilkinsburg. He faces felony charges including aggravated assault, aggravated assault by vehicle, and fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer. Police also said Richardson is charged with seven counts of simple assault and ten counts of recklessly endangering another person.
Mosley thanked responding agencies for their rapid work at the scene, praising the coordination among Pittsburgh police zones, Wilkinsburg police, EMS, and fire crews.
