May 22, 2007
Pickup Plows into Little League Concession Stand
Jenn Rourke
SUN PRAIRIE, Wis. (AP) -- There may be no crying in baseball, but an exception was
made Tuesday night when a pickup truck smashed through a chain link fence at a crowded
Little League game, barely missing players before it slammed into a concession stand.
Some 200 people, including players, coaches and parents were in the middle of Sheehan
Park in this Madison suburb when the accident happened.
The truck hit at least one other vehicle in the parking lot before breaking through
the fence. Witnesses said the truck was traveling between 40 and 60 mph when it
slammed into the concession stand and scattered some picnic tables as players dove
for safety.
Christine Suchomel, a 15-year-old working in the concession stand with three others,
said they could hear the truck and knew it was not going to stop. They managed to
escape before the crash.
"People were crying and shaking," Suchomel said. "I was shaking, but I've calmed
down, thank God."
Little League coach Gary Scott said it wasn't initially clear what was happening,
so coaches had the children lay on the ground in case it was gun fire.
Parents pulled the truck partially out of the stand before authorities arrived,
fearing someone was pinned underneath. But no one was there.
Police described the driver as a middle-aged man and said they did not believe alcohol
was a factor. The driver was injured in the accident and taken to a hospital. His
name was not released.
Only one bystander had minor injuries.
"Thank God, no one got hurt other than the driver," Scott said. "That's the amazing
thing."
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)