CLICK ABOVE TO HEAR ST. ALBANS POLICE CHIEF JOE CRAWFORDÂ
ST. ALBANS, W.Va. — Three children are hospitalized after a mishap in the St. Albans Veterans Day Parade.
The incident happened Saturday morning midway through the parade. According to Chief of Police Joe Crawford, the children, all elementary to middle school age girls from a local dance school, were riding a float which was a utility trailer being towed by a pickup truck. Behind the float was a UTV which somehow rear-ended the trailer, knocking the tailgate down onto the children.
“We don’t know if there was a malfunction with the UTV or if the operator accidentally hit the gas instead of the brake,” Crawford said.
Crawford estimated six or seven children were injured on the float, three were seriously hurt and transported to the Charleston Area Medical Center’s General Hospital in Charleston. He could not speculate on the severity of the injuries.
“There were bystanders who immediately responded and helped pick up the UTV and get it off the kids. The fire department and EMS were in the parade and they were immediately on the scene doing triage and mass casualty to get treatment to the kids,” said Crawford.
Paramedics also attended to the adult driver of the UTV who was emotionally distraught, according to Crawford.
The incident happened just as the two units involved had started down the parade route on 6th Avenue between Park Street and 10th Street. The parade was about half over and the rest of the parade was canceled.
“The organizers of the event basically canceled the parade from that point. It was at about the halfway point of the parade,” he said.
St. Albans Police continue their investigation into the incident and are hoping somebody may have video of the incident to help determine what caused the accident..