Wreck ties up traffic, leads to arrest
Staff writer
A Hillsboro woman was arrested Thursday after she drove into the path of an oncoming pickup pulling a trailer.
The accident, which tied up traffic on US-50 for nearly 2½ hours, happened just north of Peabody at the intersection of Nighthawk Rd. and US-50.
Ryleigh J. Petersen, 20, Hillsboro, was driving south on Nighthawk Rd. when she drove into the path of an oncoming pickup pulling a trailer.
Two people were taken to NMC Health by Hillsboro ambulance. One was complaining of mild chest and knee pain, and the other with no apparent injury.
Undersheriff Larry Starkey said the people taken to the hospital were from the pickup.
Peabody police officer Medina Sulejmani arrested Petersen on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, transporting an open container of alcohol, possession of alcohol by an underage person, and possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
She was released Friday on $6,000 in bonds.
Besides Peabody police and sheriff’s deputies, Peabody firefighters and rescue squad members and Marion and Hillsboro ambulances were sent to the scene.
Starkey, deputy Landis Goodman, and Peabody Police Chief Phillip Crom directed traffic.
Crom said an accident report had not yet been completed.