Crime & Safety

Driver Tells Police She Had a Seizure Before Crashing into Ambulance and Two Cars

Police charged a woman with pot possession last month after a four-car accident. She said she suffered a medical condition, according to reports.

A 28-year-old woman who was arrested in November told police it was not marijuana, but a seizure that led her to cause a four-car pile-up near 183rd Street and 80th Avenue in .

Police said that around 6 p.m. Nov. 8, Erin H. Donahue, of the 6700 block of Southpointe Drive in Tinley Park, was driving west on 183rd Street in the eastbound traffic lanes. A witness followed her and said he saw her swerve into the median and then right back into oncoming traffic.

Donahue then ran a red light at 80th Avenue, witnesses told police, and struck a car that was heading southbound on 80th. Her 2004 Toyota Corolla then spun around and crashed into a car and an ambulance that were stopped at the traffic light. 

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While searching Donahue's car after the crash, police found a pipe, grinder and marijuana, they said. She was charged with possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. She was also cited for driving too fast for conditions, disobeying a traffic control signal, failure to yield at an intersection, failure to use a seatbelt and driving in the wrong lane.

Paramedics checked accident victims at the scene, who were unscathed. Donahue was taken to Advocate South Suburban Hospital after complaining of head pain, according to the police report.

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She later told the cops she didn't know what happened during the crash because she'd suffered a seizure. Her mother confirmed that she takes seizure medication and told police she had a seizure earlier in the day, the report said.

Donahue gave a blood sample at the hospital and agreed to release it to police, the report said.

She is expected in court on Dec. 14.

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