Hempstead Turnpike near in West Hempstead was the scene of a chaotic three-car crash Thursday night.
A black SUV traveling westbound on Hempstead Turnpike allegedly sped up to try to beat the light at the New York Avenue intersection, according to witnesses at the scene. It collided with another vehicle, a silver sedan, which was crossing the turnpike on a green light to enter onto New York Avenue.
The impact of the high-speed crash caused the SUV to spin around and the sedan to careen off the roadway, across the sidewalk and into the Burger King parking lot, where it hit a parked car.
A total of five people needed to be transported to local hospitals by ambulances from the West Hempstead, Franklin Square and Lakeview Volunteer Fire Departments.
The witness who first called police to report the crash said that the woman driving the sedan appeared to be very shaken up. The driver of the SUV was pulled from his vehicle. There were no occupants in the parked car.
Nassau County Police were on site to conduct an investigation and told Patch that no major injuries occurred.
