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Woman injured as van hits building
Shakeia Monae Eccles, 21, of Clearview Drive, was injured after the 2005 Dodge Caravan she was driving wrecked through the front of an uptown business at 47 Ford St. around 1:30 p.m. Thursday, according to Martinsville Police Sgt. Chad Rhoads. Shown are police officers and rescue personnel at the scene of the wreck. (Bulletin photo by Ashley Jackson)
Friday, June 29, 2012
By AMANDA BUCK - Bulletin Staff Writer
One person was seriously injured Thursday when the minivan she was driving ran through the front of an uptown business, said Martinsville Police Sgt. Chad Rhoads.
Shakeia Monae Eccles, 21, of Clearview Drive, was driving a 2005 Dodge Caravan when the accident happened around 1:30 p.m. on Ford Street, Rhoads said. Ford is a one-way street that runs between Main and Depot streets, he noted.
According to a report prepared by Officer Richard Ratcliffe, the Dodge was backing up the street to park when the driver lost control and ran into the front of 47 Ford St., Rhoads said.
“Somehow (the van) went from reverse to forward, then it shot down the hill and ran through the front” of the business, he said.
Three people, including an infant, were inside the vehicle when the wreck happened, Rhoads said. Only Eccles was injured, he said.
There were people inside the business at the time, but no one inside was hurt, Rhoads said. He didn’t know the name of the firm but said it is a small company that rebuilds speedometers for antique cars.
The Dodge came to rest on its two passenger-side wheels, Rhoads said, adding that Eccles was pinned between the vehicle and a wall. Members of the Martinsville Fire and EMS Department had to cut away part of the van to get her out, he said, adding that her injuries appeared serious.
She was flown to Wake Forest Baptist Health in Winston-Salem, Rhoads said. She was listed in good condition there Thursday evening, according to a hospital nursing spokesperson.
The Dodge was totaled, Rhoads added.
Two windows were broken out at the business, but there was no structural damage to the building, Rhoads said.
Ford Street was closed for about two hours while emergency personnel responded. In addition to the Martinsville Fire/EMS and Police departments, city safety director Bob Phillips and the Martinsville Sheriff’s Office responded, Rhoads said.
No charges were filed Thursday. The investigation is continuing.
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