Chester accident results in criminal charge
<span>CHESTER -- The ongoing investigation into the Tuesday afternoon traffic accident in Chester has resulted in at least one criminal charge.</span>
<span>According to information released by the Chester Police Department, 33-year-old Brian J. Young, of O'Fallon, Mo., has been charged with unlawful possession of a hypodermic syringe after a two-vehicle accident at Swanwick and West Holmes streets.</span>
<span>Young was also cited for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, disobeying a traffic control device (stop sign), operating an uninsured motor vehicle and driving while license suspended.</span>
<span>In the release, Chester Police Chief Ryan Coffey said the investigation is continuing and additional charges may be pending.</span>
<span>At this time, police have yet to locate the tractor-trailer involved in the accident. Police officials believe the driver may be unaware of the incident.</span>
<span>"I don't think the tractor-trailer stopped (after the accident)," Chester Fire Chief Marty Bert said to the Herald Tribune on Tuesday. "We didn't find it."</span>
<span>Young's vehicle, a 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier, was traveling west along Swanwick Street and failed to stop at the four-way intersection of Swanwick and West Holmes near Stallman True Value Hardware.</span>
<span>The Cavalier then went underneath the unknown tractor-trailer with enough force that the roof of the passenger vehicle was torn completely off and remained behind in the intersection while the Cavalier continued west.</span>
<span>The Cavalier came to rest after striking a utility pole at the corner of Swanwick and Stacey streets, near a break area for Gilster-Mary Lee workers.</span>
<span>Witnesses in the area reported the collision sounded "like a bomb went off" and Bert said the west side of the intersection needed to be shut down to clean up the mess.</span>
<span>"The whole intersection was filled with glass," he said. "Everything shattered."</span>
<span>First responders to the scene included an off-duty nurse and an off-duty Chester police officer. They were able to help stabilize the situation before emergency services arrived.</span>
<span>Witnesses said Young was unconscious when first responders reached him, but became conscious while being tended to.</span>
<span>Young was transported from the scene by MedStar Ambulance to Chester Memorial Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.</span>
<span>"It's amazing (Young) made it another block and a half without hitting anybody," Bert said.</span>
<span>A news release issued by the CPD stated police officers were called to the intersection of Swanwick and West Holmes streets at 1:51 p.m. in reference to a traffic crash.</span>
<span>Information posted on the Chester Fire Department's Facebook page showed the department received a call nine minutes later regarding a car versus utility pole collision.</span>
<span>Bert told the Herald Tribune on Tuesday there had been a report of a reckless driver in the area.</span>
"To my knowledge, (the reports) are not connected," Coffey said.