Police: Vehicle In Deadly SEPTA Station Crash Was Traveling More Than 100 MPH, No Attempts Of Stopping
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Three people are dead, including two pedestrians, after an out-of-control SUV slammed into a SEPTA Station in Kensington overnight Tuesday. The driver of the SUV was also killed in the crash.
Police tell CBS3 they haven't found any skid marks or any sign the driver of the SUV was trying to stop before crashing against the wall of SEPTA's Allegheny Station. Officers on duty at Kensington and Allegheny Avenues saw and heard the vehicle traveling eastbound on Allegheny Avenue from F Street at a "very high rate of speed" around 2:45 a.m.
The officer says the SUV was on Allegheny Avenue, crossed over Kensington Avenue, jumped the curb, and struck a turnstile attached to the SEPTA building before crashing into the building.
The impact of the crash caused severe damage to the building. The turnstile was taken off the frame and the bricks of the building have a large crack spanning about 10 to 12 feet, Chief Insp. Scott Small says.
A cell phone camera captured the immediate aftermath of the deadly crash. You can see bystanders rushing to the SUV to help.
Witnesses described the horrifying crash.
"I was standing across the street and the guy came through the intersection doing about 100 mph or better, and I saw him hit the median and jump over the median and crash on the wall," Matthew Foulke said.
"It was actually a surreal moment," a witness said. "The way the car sped through the intersection, actually, didn't register. Like I didn't know what I was looking at. He went through the intersection, 70-80 miles an hour and just drove directly into the wall."
Another witness added that they were probably going faster than 70-80 mph, "more like 110."
The driver, who is believed to be a male, was pronounced dead on the scene along with two other individuals believed to be pedestrians. All three are John and Jane Does at this time.
A 53-year-old passenger in the SUV was transported to the hospital in stable condition.
The vehicle also caught fire after crashing into the building.
Small says the entire incident was captured on police real-time crime cameras from several angles. SEPTA police are also on the scene and say they have numerous cameras.
Eyewitness News also captured the SUV being towed away from the scene and a lot of the front end was just a mangled piece of metal.
Trains were bypassing Allegheny Station on Tuesday morning but SEPTA tells CBS3 they have reopened Allegheny Station.
The area that was hit by the SUV includes a stairwell that remains closed, but riders can use the crossover inside the station to get to both platforms, SEPTA says.
Inspection of the stairwell that was hit is ongoing.
