VIDEO: Ford Escape with serious damage, path of out-of-control trailer, and the trailer crash into Olson Rug and Flooring on Route 12 (Rand Road) in Arlington Heights.
Arlington Heights police responded about 3:15 PM Wednesday to a report of a crash involving an SUV and a trailer that careened in to the Olson Rug and Flooring Store, 4 West Rand Road Arlington Heights, IL. Police received a report that a trailer crashed into an SUV and then crashed into the Olson Rug and Flooring Store on the north side of Rand Road (US Route 12).
A witness reported that she was driving westbound in front of the Ford Escape that was also westbound on Rand Road near the stoplight to the entrance of Arlington Plaza shopping center. A large construction utility pickup truck towing a trailer was eastbound on Rand Road when the trailer suddenly disconnected and passed across the oncoming westbound traffic.
The female driver of the Ford Escape was alert to the oncoming trailer and pulled right — driving up on the sidewalk of the westbound lanes of Rand Road. The trailer carrying long 2×4 and 2×8 boards clipped the left rear fender and wheel of the Ford Escape, which pushed it back into the westbound right lane of Rand Road. The trailer then tore up dirt on the parkway, proceeded through the parking lot and crashed through the storefront window of the Olson Rug and Flooring store.
No injuries were reported. If the driver of the Ford Escape had not veered to the right, she and her passengers would likely have been seriously injured or killed. A more direct hit could have caused intrusion of the long boards into the interior of the Ford Escape and struck the occupants of the vehicle.
The force of the impact broke the rear axle and seriously damage the rear end of the Ford Escape.
The trailer also caused serious damage to the Olson Rug and Flooring store — damaging the brick base to the store window, store displays and inventory, and the front door of another wall of the building. No one was reported injured inside the store or along any of the sidewalks and parking lot area.
The Arlington Heights Building Department immediately sent a building inspector to the scene to check for structural damage. It did not appear that the stability of the building was jeopardized.
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