Published: October 30, 2009 11:21 pm      

Three-car crash on Ind. 22

Witness says car crossed center line.

Three area motorists appeared to have narrowly escaped serious injuries Friday morning after a three-car crash in western Howard County.

Ind. 22 was shut down between 750 West and 900 West for about an hour after the crash, which totaled all three vehicles.

County resident Leslie Routt said she was westbound on Ind. 22, just after 8:30 a.m., approaching 880 West, when she saw the accident in her rearview mirror.

Routt said she saw a white 1992 Pontiac Grand Prix STE, driven by Glean Clingaman, 46, Kokomo, cross the center line and hit two eastbound vehicles.

The impact knocked both eastbound vehicles into the ditch along the south side of the road. Airbags on both cars deployed. Clingaman and Tracey Claxton, 41, Bringhurst, the driver of a 1997 gold Pontiac Grand Prix, suffered facial lacerations and multiple fractured ribs in the crash, Deputy Steven Kline reported.

Claxton had to be cut from her vehicle by Burlington volunteer firefighters.

She was taken to St. Joseph Hospital, as was the driver of the white Pontiac. Routt said he managed to get out of his car on his own, but was bleeding heavily from the head. The older Pontiac didn’t appear to have airbags.

John Anderson, 29, Frankfort, the driver of the third vehicle, a gold 2003 Pontiac Grand Am, suffered a laceration and wrist pain and was treated and released.

The impact destroyed the left-front quarter panels of all three cars involved. Routt said it appeared as if the white Pontiac was about to turn left in front of oncoming traffic, causing the accident.

• Scott Smith is a Kokomo Tribune staff writer. He may be reached at 765-454-8569 or via e-mail at scott.smith@kokomotribune.com