5-Car Crash In Vernon Wreaks Havoc With Thursday PM Commute

VERNON, CT — A five-car crash at a busy intersection tied up traffic at the height of the afternoon commute Thursday in Vernon.

Police were still putting together a full report Friday morning, but a preliminary accident summary indicated the crash took place in the southbound right-hand lane of Route 83 in front of Walgreens at 4:54 p.m.

All five cars involved had to be towed from the scene and one minor injury was reported, police said.

The crash took place near the Route 83-Dart Hill Road-Regan Road intersection. Police were studying the area in detail Friday. Residents have been up in arms as of late because the left-hand arrow from Route 83 to Regan Road has somehow been reduced to a two-car sequence, resulting into two or three more cars sneaking through the turn after the light has gone red. Motorists have also been cutting through the Shell station at the intersection and turning left onto Regan Road, which is illegal under state law.

Motorists have also been taking a roundabout way through the Walgreens lot and onto Dart Hill Road to avoid the left-hand signal onto Regan Road.

Police have acknowledged the intersection is a challenge.

The signal is under state Department of Transportation jurisdiction and it was unclear as of Friday morning whether backups were related to Thursday's crash, local police said.