Friday, August 9, 2013

15 year old driving BMW strikes five cars in mall parking lot

NEW HARTFORD, N.Y. (WKTV) - Police say that there were no serious injuries following a six-car collision in a mall parking lot.

New Hartford Police were called to the Sangertown Square Mall Friday morning at 10:40am for a report of a multi-car accident that occurred in the mall parking lot near Dick's Sporting Goods.

Police say a 15 year old girl from the city of Utica was driving a 2003 BMW sedan at an excessive rate of speed through the mall parking lot when she lost control of the car and struck a second car, a 2008 Honda CRV, that was being driven through the parking lot. 

After striking that car, police say the BMW continued moving forward and struck the rear end of a parked 2004 Dodge pick-up truck. The BMW sedan went underneath the pick-up truck lifting the rear of the truck off of the ground about four feet into the air. The BMW stopped after it became wedged underneath the pick-up truck. 

According to police, the force of the collision pushed the pick-up truck forward and sideways which resulted in a collision with three other parked vehicles - a 2010 Mazda sedan, a 2008 Hyundai minivan and a 2008 Subaru sedan.

At the time of the collision the BMW sedan was also occupied by a 14-year-old female passenger, authorities said.

After the series of collisions occurred, police say the driver and her passenger exited the BMW sedan and reportedly ran from the scene and into the mall. They eventually made their way to the mall bus stop and boarded a Centro bus. The bus had started to leave the mall with the girls aboard it when a mall contractor was made aware of the incident and stopped the bus. 

Security Officers from Sangertown Square Mall were then able to approach the girls and detain them for police.

Police said three of the six vehicles involved were extensively damaged and had to be towed from the scene and a portion of the mall parking lot had to be closed while the scene was cleared of wreckage.

"Because of the ages of the two girls occupying the BMW any charges in this matter will be filed at a later date by police juvenile aid officers," New Hartford Police stated in a press release Friday afternoon.

New Hartford Police were assisted at the scene by members of the Sangertown Mall Security Department, New Hartford Fire Department and Edwards Ambulance Service.

"Because of the complexity of the accident investigation and juvenile charges that may be filed later, the investigation into this matter may take several days," Police stated.

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