- A three-car crash involving a Tallahassee police officer closed down Meridian Road and surrounding streets Wednesday.
- TPD says the officer and one driver involved suffered minor injuries.
- Watch now to hear from a neighbor who witnessed the immediate aftermath of the crash from his home.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
It was a frightening scene on Meridian Road on Wednesday, with plenty of unanswered questions.
I'm Alberto Camargo in Midtown digging into what caused a three-car crash that involved a Tallahassee police cruiser. I'm asking neighbors what they saw and heard in the moments after the wreck.
The sound alone was enough to startle Aaron Taylor.
"We heard this giant crash, like glass shattering, like a giant chandelier had fallen. I was worried someone was going to break into my apartment."
Tallahassee Police say an excavator — one of these construction vehicles — was going south without reflective markings. The police car, going in the same direction, struck it and flipped to the other side of the road, hitting a third car.
TPD says the officer and driver of the third car both have minor injuries.
So why didn't the construction vehicle have its reflective gear? I called the construction company involved and got no answer.
Aaron says road work has been active this week. "It looked like they were doing something to the sidewalk. I'm not entirely sure what they were doing here.
He's on the right track. I did some digging and found this website from the Florida Department of Transportation.
The project is to add a sidewalk to the west side of Meridian Road from Thomasville Road up to Lakeshore Drive. It'll also improve crossing signals and curb ramps. It's not clear how long this work will last.
Aaron says the accident could have turned out much worse.
"I felt OK because I saw the cop's leg move. I knew he was alive. If he was completely still I would have been a lot more worried."
TPD says it's actively investigating the crash. In Midtown, I'm Alberto Camargo, ABC27.
