stickmaker | Jun. 2nd, 2008

Was on my way back from Kroger's when I saw a strange accident. As I pulled into the left turn lane at an intersection I saw that the silver SUV (or maybe minivan; they overlap a lot) ahead of me was already well out into the intersection and still moving. There was traffic coming towards us in both through lanes, as well as coming down the hill behind us in both through lanes. The vehicle in the right approaching lane cleared the intersection, and the city bus in the left lane entered the intersection. The silver SUV continued forward, picking up speed a bit, starting to cut left. I thought the driver was planning to cross after the bus passed, but the SUV didn't stop. Left front of bus met right front of the smaller vehicle. The silver SUV spun around and began rolling in the opposite direction, diagonally back through the intersection and on across the traffic lanes. I was worried that vehicles coming down the hill might hit it, but there was good sight distance and they were paying attention.

I looked for my cell phone to call the accident in, then grimaced as I realized I'd left it at home. I started to get out and check the SUV driver, when a police car on the cross street pulled out and cut off the intersection. Traffic halted, of course.

I don't know how much the officer saw. There's a bit of a dip on that side of the intersection and he was probably not the first vehicle in line. (Things happened so quickly after I entered the left turn lane I didn't had a chance to look left until after the accident.) I waited to see if he needed a statement. Another police car pulled in behind me while I was waiting.

No-one seemed to be hurt. I gave the first officer a brief statement and my contact info, and came on home.