York Co., S.C.,None — Four people, including two children, went to a hospital Wednesday after a three-vehicle crash that shut down a York County highway for five hours.
It happened at the intersection of McConnell's Highway and Brattonsville Road, south of Rock Hill, just before 10 a.m.
Judith Franco was standing near her open door when she heard a loud boom and felt her mobile home shake. Just outside, a tractor-trailer was on its side, and a load of woodchips was spread across her yard. Two other cars in the crash looked nearly crushed.
VIDEO: York County Accident Sends 4 To Hospital
Franco said she immediately ran to a Chevy SUV, which was upside-down and badly damaged.
"I saw it was two babies inside and I was crying," Franco said. "One person got out and said, ‘Can you help me with my babies?' And I said, Yes, OK.'"
Franco took the two young children from the SUV and brought them to her house, where rescue workers picked them up minutes later and took them to the hospital.
Larry Campbell was driving the tractor-trailer loaded with woodchips to Rock Hill. He told Eyewitness News that the SUV pulled out in front of him from Brattonsville Road. They collided and he lost control, snapping a utility pole and ending up in front of Franco's house.
"I'm OK, just worried about the ones that were hurt," he said.
The SUV also struck a third car, driven by 26-year-old Jose Hernandez, who was taken to Piedmont Medical Center.
The driver of the SUV, 20-year-old Melissa Anderson, is charged with disregarding a stop sign.
She was also taken to the hospital, along with the two children who were with her. Troopers have not released their names, and it's not known how severe their injuries are.
Troopers shut down McConnell's Highway and detoured traffic until nearly 3 p.m.
Franco has lived at that corner for more than a year, and said she has already seen three serious crashes there. There is a flashing signal at the turn in to historic Brattonsville, but Franco said people don't pay attention to it.
"The lights are there, but people don't respect the lights," she said.
York County Emergency Management Director Cotton Howell said the intersection has been the scene of several deadly wrecks.