Bizarre Mount Vernon Road crash leaves two hurt

UPDATE: Two people were hurt in a bizarre crash that ended when a pickup slammed a car into a retaining wall Wednesday morning in Cedar Rapids.

Police said a man driving a pickup along Mount Vernon Road SE apparently had a medical condition just before 8 a.m. As a result, the man stepped on the accelerator and rear-ended a car near 42nd Street SE, police said.

“They probably hit hard enough to lock together, and he pushed her into the wall,” Sgt. Mike Wallerstedt said.

Two people were hurt when a pickup hit a car along Mount Vernon Road SE near 42nd Street SE and the vehicles went into a retaining wall this morning, Wednesday, April 13, 2011. Police said the pickup driver apparently had a medical condition, causing him to step on the accelerator. (Jeff Raasch/SourceMedia Group News)

The pickup pushed the car more than 100 yards, and across the westbound lanes, before impact with the retaining wall. The wrecked car stopped on a sidewalk.

The man who was in the pickup and the woman who was driving the car were both taken by ambulance to local hospitals. Neither had any passengers with them. Police said their injuries were not considered life-threatening.

Initial 911 reports were that the car was on fire, and firefighters said they saw a large plume of white smoke as they approached. As they got closer, they realized the smoke was from the pickup tires.

Skid marks left on the roadway were so thick that firefighters used shovels to scoop up the rubber. The smell of burnt tires was apparent.