CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – A Crewlane Technologies van crashed into a building on College Street near Kraft Street Wednesday afternoon.
According to a report from Lieutenant Steve Warren, Public Information Officer for the Clarksville Police Department, District Two Patrol and Traffic Officers were dispatched to the building at 132 College Street shortly before 1:00 p.m. When officers arrived, they found “a white Ford van had left the roadway and come to rest partially inside the cinderblock building,” Warren said.
Warren’s report notes that least five of the six family members in the van were injured in the crash, but none of the injuries were believed to be life-threatening. Four teenage sisters in the back of the vehicle received numerous lacerations and some possible broken bones. The mother of the teens, who was the front seat passenger, was also injured. The father was driving.
Malfunctioning brakes are being investigated as a possible cause of the crash.
CPD Traffic Officer Jennifer Szczerbiak stated, “The driver said he tried to use the fence to slow down when he realized he had no brakes.” Szczerbiak said that impact with the fence was not sufficient to stop the van, which went on to strike a pickup truck and a dump truck before striking the building.
Clarksville Building and Codes Official David Kimberling inspected the structural integrity of the business and said, “The building is structurally sound with minimal damage except to the impact area.”
One lane of traffic was blocked off on College Street as crews from CDE and Clarksville Fire Rescue worked at the scene. The lane was opened back up to traffic shortly after.
No one was working inside the building at the time of the crash, according to the property caretaker, who was notified of the incident by the building owner, a man named Bill Ogles.
No charges had been filed at the time of the report from CPD and the crash remains under investigation.