Five inmates sent to hospital after transport van is in accident at Erie intersection

A sheriff's van transporting 12 inmates from the Erie County Courthouse to the Erie County Prison was involved in an accident about three blocks from the courthouse late Thursday morning.

Five of the inmates were sent to the hospital as a throng of Erie police officers, firefighters and deputy sheriffs helped shuttle the other inmates from the van into another transport vehicle at a busy intersection, authorities said.

The scene played out starting at around 11:20 a.m. at West Ninth and Sassafras streets, south of the courthouse at 140 West Sixth St., between Sassafras and Peach streets.

The transport van, which the Erie County Sheriff's Office was operating, was driving south on Sassafras Street, which is one-way, when it was struck on the front driver's side by a Nissan Altima that was heading west on West Ninth Street, said Sheriff Chris Campanelli, who was on the scene. The intersection has a traffic light.

Campanelli said the van was headed to the prison, at East 18th and Ash streets, from the courthouse. Of the 12 inmates on the van, five were taken from the scene by ambulance for what appeared to be minor injuries, Campanelli said.

The authorities cleared the scene at about 11:50 a.m. The Altima, missing its front bumper, drove away after the occupants spoke to police. The damaged transport van was driven to a spot along Sassafras Street, yards from the scene of the accident.

"There was really very little damage to the van," Campanelli said. "There was more damage to the car."

He said the accident was just another part of a job that he said can bring any number of surprises.

"Always an adventure," Campanelli said.

Contact Ed Palattella at epalattella@timesnews.com. Follow him on X @ETNpalattella.

Contact Nicholas Sorensen at nsorensen@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: 5 inmates sent to hospital after crash involving transport van in Erie