Nine Cars Damaged In Garbage Truck Crash In Lincoln Park
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Nine cars were damaged, and two trees were knocked down, but luckily no one was injured when a garbage truck hit a car that ran a red light, then slammed into several parked cars in the Lincoln Park neighborhood.
Police said a woman driving a Hyundai Santa Fe east on Fullerton Avenue ran a red light at Southport Avenue, and a garbage truck headed north on Southport swerved to avoid hitting her.
But the garbage truck still hit the woman's car, as well as eight parked cars on Southport. The truck also knocked down two trees, and several sign posts.
Chicago Police Officer David Valentin said the crash caused major damage to all the vehicles hit by the truck.
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Valentin said it's been his job to tell the owners of the parked cars about the damage
"I woke somebody up to find the owner of the vehicle, and when she came over, she was in total disbelief to see her vehicle totally damaged in the accident," he said. "She started shaking like a leaf, and I said don't worry. No one got killed or injured here. It's just a whole lot of property damage here. Property can be replaced, but not a life."
Jan Vilches, owner of one of the cars, got the rude awakening that his car was damaged in this accident.
"My girlfriend, she woke me up, and she was like, 'Your car is messed up. Don't freak out.' And, I was like, 'You're joking. This is a joke.' So, I went back to sleep, and she was like, 'No babe, your car is messed up."
Valentin said the driver of the Hyundai was being ticketed for running a red light and driving too fast.
