Police say a 21-year-old Crystal City man was driving a stolen SUV when he collided with a minivan driven by a 53-year-old Crystal City woman this afternoon (March 21) in Festus. Both the man and woman were taken to the hospital with serious injuries.
It was the second crash the man had caused within a few minutes, police said. No injuries were reported from the first, on Truman Boulevard just north of Eighth Street.
The next crash, in the 900 block of North Fifth Street in Festus, occurred when the stolen vehicle, a 2001 GMC Jimmy, rammed a westbound Mazda 2013 minivan driven by Deborah Bishop from behind as it turned left into a driveway on Fifth Street.
The impact sent the minivan into a nearby yard, stopping just short of a house. The SUV flipped onto its side, Festus Police Chief Tim Lewis said.
“They had to use a Jaws of Life tool to get him out,” Lewis said.
Festus Fire Chief Chuck Boyer said the man was taken by helicopter to Mercy Hospital St. Louis in Creve Coeur and Bishop was taken by ambulance to St. Anthony’s Medical Center in south St. Louis County.
Lewis said Bishop was wearing a seat belt, but he didn’t know if the other driver was.
Boyer said both drivers had critical injuries. Neither vehicle carried passengers, he said.
Earlier in the afternoon, Crystal City Police took a report of a vehicle theft in the 600 block of 10th Street. It was the 2001 GMC Jimmy.
“He hit his mother and stole the vehicle,” Crystal City Police Capt. Mike Pruneau said. He said the man’s mother did not require medical attention.
Shortly afterward the Jimmy hit a vehicle near a carwash on Truman Boulevard, then turned west on Eighth Street toward Festus, Pruneau said.
“We’ll seek robbery second degree charges on stealing the vehicle and also leaving the scene (of an accident) at the carwash,” Pruneau said.
“We’re looking at least at careless and imprudent driving,” Lewis said.
The man will not be named unless charges are filed.