Seven people were injured and three people were taken to area hospitals after a car accident during the car auction at the Dalton Convention Center on Friday. The car auction is part of the festivities at the Georgia Mountain Moonshine Cruiz-In.
Emergency personnel were stationed on scene as part of the city’s planning for the event and police, fire, and EMS were able to attend to patients on scene almost immediately.
The accident happened at approximately 1:50 p.m.
when a car was being driven into the front of the audience for the auction. Preliminary information indicates the driver of the vehicle lost control for some reason and ran into people who were sitting or standing near the front of the auction.
Police officers inside the auction area were able to respond immediately and one applied a tourniquet to one individual’s injuries. Firefighters and EMS personnel also responded within seconds.
Two patients were transported to Hamilton Medical Center in Dalton and one was transported to Erlanger in Chattanooga. All were released from the hospital by Friday night.
This incident is still being investigated by the Dalton Police Department Traffic Unit. The Dalton Convention Center is closed for the rest of the day to make way for that investigation. The plans are for the car show to re-open tomorrow (Saturday).