Chaos outside ice cream shop during accident
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At Bacconi's Lickety Split Ice Cream and Frozen Treats in Johnston Township, parents and kids waiting for ice cream and milkshakes were shocked as a black SUV went careening through the parking lot pushing a truck into or towards them.
The shop is located on Greenville Road NE.
Ohio State Patrol Sergeant Michael Wilson said, "We believe the driver traveling eastbound on State Route 88, may have suffered a medical crisis. The driver struck a telephone pole which snapped it in two. There was quite an amount of speed involved due to the size of the pole being sheared in half, and the SUV moving a full-sized Ford pickup truck 180 degrees around, and continuing until it came to a rest about 115 feet from where it left the roadway."
Eddie Sanders, III with his seven-month-old son in his arms, said, "As I turned to my right like this, I saw a red vehicle coming at me. So we all scooted towards the building and the next thing I know that car kept cruising through to where it sits now by the house. There were a few people on the ground. I was somewhat holding myself up, and I asked the girl and lady if they were ok. Then I went and checked on the driver of the SUV and told him not to move an ambulance would be coming. Everyone is pretty shaken up now. One woman was injured, her ankle was very swollen, my friend had a cut on his leg, and my right arm hurts. But I am very blessed to be here today. The red truck definitely saved lives. If the truck wouldn't have been parked north and south, then the other vehicle would not have hit it. There could have been at least six or seven people dead, including three children. I feel very blessed to be here."
Samantha Berry from Johnston Township said, "My daughter and I, and my friend and her son, were sitting under the pavilion at a picnic table waiting for what we had ordered. I heard a giant crash, and I looked over, and our husbands were on the ground with everyone else. I ran to make sure the children and our husbands were ok. One of the younger girls, a teen, was shaken up. I called her dad to let her know what happened. Being a mom, I worry about children. The big red truck was completely turned, and it saved a lot of people. My husband and his friend, a younger girl, a mom with her children, and a younger man were there. I don't want to think of what would have happened. Thank goodness for the truck. It saved a lot of people. I was worried about the family in the red truck."
Jordan Dibell from Farmdale had just got into his red Ford pickup truck, sat down, and turned to give his children their ice cream when the black SUV crashed into his vehicle sending it in a spin. His vehicle is being credited with saving lives.
Dibell, whose truck is not one-year-old yet did not want to do an on-camera interview with us saying he had a lot he has to deal with right now. Someone had picked his family members, who were shaken up, and took them home.
A mother, Nicolette Nacarato, was holding her baby girl while she and her son waited for ice cream. Nacarato did not want to interview on camera, but told 21 News she heard the telephone pole breaking and when she turned to look she saw people moving, so she moved towards the ice cream shop and pulled her son with her out of harm's way.
Kris Corrigan and his mom, a manager, were inside the Lickety Split Ice Cream Shop and Frozen Treats making milkshakes and ice cream cones. Corrigan said, "This is the last day of the summer season when we are open. There were a lot of people, but thankfully a lot of them went back to their cars or to the picnic tables to wait for the food they ordered. If the accident happened a couple of hours later, then there probably would have been a much longer line outside, and it could have been much worse than it was, so we are thankful it was not as bad as it could have been."
Although a teen girl was injured along with three others, all here saying they are blessed because life can change in a lickety-split. Eddie Sanders, III said, "I feel very blessed to be here. There could have been at least six or seven dead, including three children."
OSP Sergeant Michael Wilson added, "It was great these parents did not just let their children wander in the parking lot and had their children nearby so they could act to help protect them. If that truck wasn't there, this could have been multiple serious injuries and deaths. I am glad that was avoided for sure."