CRAZED SUV DRIVER WIPES OUT CARS AND POLE

HYANNIS - At about 3:00 PM Thursday afternoon Barnstable Police received a call that an out of control driver in a SUV was smashing into multiple new, used and customer's cars at Ford of Hyannis.

TOP PHOTO: The SUV driver (Right)  with his head and neck being supported by an unidentified man while awaiting Hyannis Fire Rescue talks to Barnstable Patrol Officer Jean Evans,

HyannisNews arrived in a matter of minutes. We we were already nearby preparing to cover another accident at the Airport Rotary when the call came in. We arrived to find the SUV about 200' to 300' up Corporation Road where his tirade ended against a utility pole on he right side of the street directly in front of Hyannis Auto Body.

This spectacular event drew close to 100 people out of their offices and businesses in the area to observe the destruction. According to several witnesses at the scene, it all started when the SUV which according to witnesses, was traveling westbound on Route 28 before he suddenly ran over the street signs at the corner of Corporation Road and Route 28. The male driver was reportedly having a heated argument with his female passenger. It is unclear what the exact relationship is or was between the driver and the passenger.

Judging from appearance of the path of destruction he left behind, the SUV driver then,drove across Corporation Road toward the Ford of Hyannis showroom, clipping the front end of a brand new conversion van and that impact pushed the nose of the van sideways about 2' to 3' into another vehicle parked next to it.

He then apparently sped diagonally across Corporation Road into the lot across the street destroying the nose of a parked white Mustang. After that he proceeded to ram the right rear quarter panel of a late model blue pickup truck belonging to a Ford of Hyannis customer.

We were told the SUV then sped up Corporation Road toward the Mall at speeds which according to another witness approached 50-60 miles per hour. She said he was fish-tailing all the way and she headed for the shoulder to get out of the way. She said he then swerved to the right and crashed head-on into a utility pole which was splintered in half and was only being held up by its live overhead wires.

The driver of the SUV appeared to have suffered neck injuries and the female passenger who seemed to be in distress or pain was attended by a brave Barnstable Police Officer who climbed into the vehicle to help to woman, even as the damaged pole and electrical wires hung precariously over the car. He stayed with her until Hyannis Fire Rescue arrived on the scene several minutes later and took over.

HyannisNews spoke to many witnesses, but none wished to comment directly on camera. We spoke to several Ford of Hyannis employees including its president Rich Covington. He told HyannisNews he was at his Nissan Dealership at the time when he received the call to come to his Ford dealership because of this incident.

The incident, which many at the scene said appeared to be a deliberate act and not an accident was termed as "A fit of rage on the SUV driver's part" by more than one witness.

The incident is under investigation by Barnstable Police. Patrol Officer Jean Evans. is leading the investigation.