Four From Waynesboro Escape Serious Injury in Three-Vehicle Crash

All four people involved in a three-vehicle accident on Monday, December 8th, were very fortunate to walk away from something that could have potentially had terrible consequences, based on photos of the vehicles.

The report filed by Sgt. Ryan Livingston and Lt. Jeremy Staggs of the Waynesboro Police Department stated that they responded to a call of an MVA on Highway 13 South at the Cantrell Lane intersection at approximately 5:15 p.m. on December 8th. Upon their arrival at the scene, the officers first checked for injuries and ensured that all involved spoke with and were checked out by EMS. All four ultimately refused transportation to the hospital.

The narrative of the report stated that James Eric Pope, age 40, was the driver of a Honda Odyssey van traveling southbound on Highway 13. Pope reportedly took his eyes off the roadway for a moment to retrieve something in the vehicle, and said that when he looked back up, it was too late to avoid crashing into a vehicle stopped in the roadway in front of him.

The driver of the vehicle Pope struck, Ciara Jones, age 33, was stopped in the roadway in her Ford Escape as she waited for the vehicle in front of her to make a left-hand turn. As the vehicle in front was stopped in preparation to turn, the impact from Pope’s vehicle to the rear of Jones’ Ford Escape pushed her forward into the rear of the third vehicle.

The third vehicle in the chain reaction wreck, a Kia Optima driven by Danielle Lynn, age 23, was then struck in the rear by Jones’ Ford Escape. Lynn was stopped in the roadway as she waited for oncoming traffic to pass before making a left-hand turn. Pope’s vehicle, the Honda Odyssey van, pushed Jones’ vehicle, the Ford Escape, into Lynn’s Kia Optima.

The report stated that Pope’s Honda Odyssey van went into a ditch after the initial impact and traveled several yards before coming to a stop.

All three drivers, in addition to a passenger in Lynn’s vehicle, were fortunate to escape the accident with no serious injuries. All were wearing seatbelts, according to the police report. The report also stated that no alcohol or drugs were observed or suspected. All three vehicles had disabling damage.