Two cars collided Wednesday morning when a Chevrolet Equinox failed to stop at the School Street stop sign at the intersection with West Elm Street, according to police. PHOTO/HOPKINTON FIRE DEPARTMENT
The Hopkinton Fire Department extricated the trapped driver of a Chevrolet Equinox on Wednesday morning after the car apparently failed to stop at a stop sign at the intersection of School Street and West Elm Street, resulting in a two-car collision with suspected injuries to both drivers.
“At approximately 7:56 a.m., a 2015 Chevy Equinox, traveling eastbound on West Elm Street, failed to stop at the stop sign at School Street,” stated Hopkinton Police Deputy Chief Scott van Raalten in an email to the Independent. “This resulted in a collision with a 2023 Kia Telluride, which was traveling southbound on School Street.”
He noted that the Equinox operator, who was cited for failure to stop at a stop sign, had to be extricated from the car by the Hopkinton Fire Department.
Hopkinton Firefighters Local 3772 posted pictures of the two vehicles on its Facebook page Wednesday morning. Both cars appeared to have sustained substantial damage, with the Kia’s front hood smashed.
“The [Equinox] operator was subsequently transported to UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester for their injuries,” added van Raalten. “The operator of the Kia Telluride was transported to Milford Regional Medical Center by HFD.”
The Facebook post generated a response about trees being close to the street’s edge, creating a safety issue.
“That corner is overgrown and the bend in the road contributes to poor visibility,” one commenter noted.
I-495 ramp crash prompts response
Another accident Wednesday morning also drew a response from emergency personnel.
“At the same time, mutual aid companies worked a vehicle crash on an on-ramp to [Interstate] 495,” according to the same Facebook post.
Van Raalten stated that he had no further updates about the details of that accident as of late Wednesday morning.
To repeat a few point made on the FB threat for this audience:
• I hope everyone is okay.
• Please slow down folks. Even if you have the right of way. Slow down. The next time you see a dead squirrel on the road remember that could just as easily be a beloved pet or a child chasing a rolling ball.
• W Elm is not Main Street. Even if Waze tells you it is an alternative. It is a winding, residential street full for children, strollers, runner, cyclists and pets. Slow down.
• How about some speed traps at rush hour to drive home the above point?
• We need stop signs along intersections along W Elm.
• More broadly, the west side needs sidewalks, crosswalks and bike lanes. Nothing extravagant. Just enough to keep residents safe. W Elm and Main Street for sure. When is the last time you walked along the Main Street bridge overlooking sunny Lake Maspenock on your way to hike Peppercorn hill? Never, sadly because it is a life-risking endeavor.