Hopefully She Has Insurance

Twelve vehicles were damaged and three people were injured Saturday after a vehicle lost control in a parking lot.

The Walmart parking lot was extremely busy with shoppers purchasing last-minute items on Christmas Eve.

Ruth A. Ames, 64, Monticello, had just pulled her 2002 Ford Explorer into a parking spot when she attempted to put the vehicle in park at about 1 p.m.

Ames said her Explorer abruptly took off in reverse; a witness, Robert Turner of Indianapolis, said the Explorer backed out of the parking spot at a high rate of speed.

Both said the Explorer crashed into several vehicles.

According to the crash report, prepared by Monticello Police Officer Jeremiah Brown, Ames stopped briefly after — according to Turner — the Explorer hit several other vehicles. She told the officer that several people told her she had someone pinned against a vehicle and to put the car into drive.

Ames’ Explorer then lurched forward, striking several more vehicles.

Turner told police that he ran, jumped onto a vehicle that had been struck, reached into Ames’ Explorer and turned the vehicle off. He said that before he did so, the wheels were still spinning; Turner also said he noticed a cast on Ames’ right foot.

In all, the crash caused severe damage to 11 vehicles in addition to Ames’ Explorer across three rows of Walmart parking spots.

Ames suffered abrasions on her arm. Morningstar A. Davis, 20, Monticello, was injured with neck pain and Stephen K. Vanvoorst, 41, Reynolds, was trapped in his vehicle and suffered bruises to his leg.

Brown estimated the total damage to the 12 vehicles involved at between $50,000 and $100,000. He was assisted by White County Sheriff’s Deputies David Rozzi and Lucas Hitchings.