Aug. 02--DURHAM -- Police and fire crews responded to a car crash on the 2700 block of Holloway Street about 9:10 p.m. Thursday that left four people with serious injuries.
On scene, authorities found a Mercedes and a Ford Focus involved in a two-car crash. One car was on fire, and multiple people were trapped in the cars. One person was pinned in the Mercedes, and two were in the Ford Focus.
Investigators said Richard Thompson Jr., 24, of Durham was driving the 2001 Mercedes sedan east on Holloway Street at a high rate of speed when his car crashed into the 2008 Ford Focus driven by Quateria McGirt, 34, of Chapel Hill.
McGirt was attempting to turn left from South Woodcrest Street onto Holloway Street when her car was hit.
Police believe Thompson attempted to swerve to avoid the crash, but the front of his car struck the front-left quarter of McGirt's car. The Mercedes then struck a power pole and snapped in half.
The Ford's engine left the car and struck a mailbox and a parked car. One car hit a power pole, causing live power lines to go down.
Fire units brought out two extrication units to remove those in the cars. The crash happened near Durham EMS Station 4.
Durham Deputy Fire Chief Chris Iannuzzi said a passenger in the Focus was removed from the car in 13 minutes. The driver of the Mercedes was removed within 26 minutes, and the driver of the Focus was taken out after about 31 minutes.
No information was available Friday afternoon concerning their conditions. Both drivers were taken to the hospital along with a 15-year-old female passenger in McGirt's vehicle and a 22-year-old male passenger in Thompson's vehicle. A second male passenger in Thompson's vehicle was not injured.
Iannuzzi said 23 firefighters, 12 medics and an unknown number of police officers responded to the call. They were on scene for about 75 minutes. Firefighters from Durham County, Ladder 413, assisted on the call.
No charges have been filed but the accident remains under investigation.
Copyright 2014 - The Herald-Sun, Durham, N.C.
