Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
1 dead, 10 hurt as cars crash
Woman killed at bus bench
Two vehicles swerving in and out of traffic caused a chain reaction crash that ended with a woman being killed while waiting for a bus, police said.
And 10 people were hurt in various collisions, Lauderhill Fire Rescue Capt. Jerry Gonzalez said.
“It’s unknown if they were racing,” Lauderhill Police Lt. Michael Santiago said. “That swerving caused a chain reaction crash with other vehicles.”
A Chevrolet SUV veered off the road and into the bench between Northwest 12th Street and 13th Street where the waiting bus passenger was killed. It was not known what role the SUV may have had, if any, in what was happening in the road before the fatal crash, Santiago said.
A woman inside another car was ejected from her veRecord
hicle, according to the officer.
Early reports were that three to four cars were damaged by crashes, Santiago said.
The crash into the bus bench also brought down a power line.
Santiago said Florida Power & Light Co. was repairing it. The scene was unsafe for traffic homicide investigators to begin documenting the crash until the line was repaired.
The affected area is north of West Sunrise Boulevard, near the city’s performing arts center and the Lauderhill Mall.
At 5 p.m., the northbound portion of State Road 7 between Northwest 12th Street and 16th Street was still closed and was expected to remain so into late Thursday night.
Officials said paramedics took four patients who were in critical condition to Broward Health Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale. One of those injured, a woman, had also been sitting on the bench.
Two patients went to Plantation General Hospital, one went to Florida Medical Center and two others refused to be taken to a hospital in an ambulance, according to police.
“They were treated for injuries from flying debris, but did not want to be transported, Santiago said.
Broward County Transit said none of its buses were involved in the crash. It prepared a detour plan for affected State Road 7 routes. Riders can check the agency’s website, broward.org/ bct, and scroll down the service changes page for that information.
Firefighters from Sunrise, Oakland Park and Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue helped care for the injured, Gonzalez said.
Detectives were visiting area businesses to see if surveillance video was available.
Police ask anyone with information about to crash to call 954-497-4700 and ask to speak with traffic homicide. Tips can also be shared anonymously with Broward County Crime Stoppers, at 954-493-8477. That organization pays up to $3,000 for information that leads to an arrest.