Crash closes down William Street

Two people were injured after a four-vehicle crash Tuesday on William Street.

Cape Girardeau Police Department crash investigator David Valentine said three of the vehicles were towed, while one was driven away.

The accident, which temporarily shut down William Street in both directions, occurred at 10:35 a.m., just west of the Denny's restaurant at 161 West Drive, near the Edgewood Road intersection.

The road was cleared and lanes were open again just before noon.

The accident began when a red Honda Civic, driven by an 86-year-old woman, was heading eastbound in a westbound lane on William Street. Her vehicle struck the front of a white Chevrolet Lumina. The driver was transported from the scene by ambulance with minor injuries, according to police reports. The driver of the Honda also was transported to a local hospital by ambulance for non-life-threatening injuries, after members of the Cape Girardeau Fire Department extricated the woman from the vehicle.

The Honda also struck the driver's side of a black Ford F-150 and spun it around, Valentine said. Finally, the car struck a gray Ford Escort, knocking it off the road and into a nearby embankment.

The cause of the crash is still under investigation.

Police later reported that while officers were on scene, a second crash occurred east of the initial crash site involving three vehicles. The vehicles had slowed because of heavy traffic. No injuries were reported.