SIU investigating after crash sends three to hospital

The provincial Special Investigations Unit (SIU) is probing a collision that sent three people to hospital.

At 10:30 p.m. Saturday, EMS crews receive a call from police about a two-vehicle collision at the intersectionof Hess Street South and Herkimer Street, in Hamilton's Durand neighbourhood.

Marc Tremblay, a commander with the Hamilton Paramedic Service, said ambulances arrived minutes later and transported three people to hospital.

Tremblay said he couldn't disclose any information about the identity of the victims or what led up to the collision, in which a silver Honda crashed into a black Kia sedan and plowed it into a nearby bus shelter.

Mike Collins said he heard the crash whilesittinginhis house, located just next to the bus shelter.

"There was an initial smash and then the screeching of the bent vehicles coming to rest," he said."You could actually feel the whole rumbling and shaking of it."

Collins said heran outside to see what happened, and talked totwooccupants of theKia, who he said did not appear to have been injured.

"They said theywere driving along and the car ran through the stop sign, hit their car, drove them up into the stop sign in the corner here," he said.

A male pedestrian had been struck and lying in the bushes, with first responders attending to his injuries, Collins said.

The driver of the Honda,he said, was lying in the road. "He seemed definitely in distress," added Collins.

The intersection was closed for the investigation and subsequent cleanup on Sunday morning. It reopened at around 11:45 a.m ET.

Collins said he couldn't confirm reports that the collision resulted from a police chase through the neighbourhood.

Police are not commenting on the case because it's currently being investigated by the SIU.

The SIU is called in whenever police officers are involved in incidentsinwhichsomeone has been seriously injured, dies or alleges sexual assault.

CBC Hamilton could not reach officials from the SIU Sunday morning.