New Details Emerge In Accident That Injured Couple

The driver who allegedly ran a red light and struck a couple in an SUV Sunday morning in Cartersville "refused to provide" officers with a statement. 

That's according to an incident report of the accident released by the Cartersville Police Department.

The accident occurred around 10:30 a.m. May 11 on Joe Frank Harris Parkway/U.S. 41/S.R. 3 at Grassdale Road.

According to the report, a 2003 Dodge Neon driven by Theresa Larose Arroyo of Cedartown was traveling north on Highway 41 approaching the intersection with Grassdale Road.

Meanwhile, a 1999 Nissan Pathfinder driven by Cartersville resident Joseph William Thompson was traveling westbound on Grassdale Road towards Highway 41 and was about to turn left (southbound) onto Highway 41. 

A witness, who was sitting at the red light at the intersection, said the Neon ran the red light and struck the Pathfinder. The Dodge Neon bounced off the Pathfinder, and struck the witness's vehicle, a 2002 Ford F-150.

Authorities were unable to obtain a statement from Thompson, who along with female passenger named Barbara Thompson, were both transported to Cartersville Medical Center for treatment. 

Arroyo was transported to Floyd Medical Center for treatment. When the responding officer reached Arroyo at the hospital, she "refused to provide any statement and referred me to her lawyer."

"Witness statements obtained on (the) scene yielded that Vehicle 1 (Dodge Neon) was traveling at a high rate of speed and ran the red light as it traveled north on Ga. 3 across its intersection with Grassdale Road," the officer wrote. 

The initial investigation revealed the driver of the Dodge Neon failed to yield the right of way at the red light and struck the Pathfinder's left side.