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Two people seriously hurt in Tuesday afternoon accident at intersection

Wednesday, June 4, 2008 10:20 AM CDT

WEST CITY — Three people were injured, two seriously, when a pickup truck allegedly blew through a stoplight and smashed into the car in which they were riding Tuesday afternoon.

Basil Mays, 67, of Englewood, Fla. told police he was westbound on Illinois 14 and failed to notice the stoplight at the highway's intersection with North Central Street in West City, Police Chief Steve Mumbower said.

Mays' truck t-boned a passenger car driven by Rita Carlton, 51, Benton as she was making a left turn onto the highway from North Central Street.

Two witnesses to the crash confirmed Mays' account, Mumbower said.

Carlton and her two passengers, James R. Phillips, 63, Benton and Susan Poteete, 46, Valier, were taken by ambulance to Franklin Hospital. Mumbower said. Phillips was immediately flown to a hospital in Evansville, Ind. for treatment of major injuries and he believes Carlton was also transported to another hospital.

Mays, who was uninjured, was cited for disobeying a traffic control device.