South Bend, IN : Teenage girl in critical condition in crash north of Mishawaka on Wednesday afternoon, September 28, 2016

A teenage girl remained in critical condition Thursday after a crash that damaged as many as five vehicles Wednesday afternoon at Capital Avenue and Cleveland Road.

Police said a Chevrolet Suburban was traveling south on Capital about 3:45 p.m. when it smashed into a Mercedes Benz sedan that was turning left onto Cleveland from northbound Capital.

The Mercedes skidded several hundred feet south of the intersection before coming to a stop, while the Suburban went off the west side of Capital and rolled onto its roof.

The driver of the Mercedes, identified as 17-year-old Carolyn Podawiltz, was taken to Memorial Hospital in critical condition, while the driver of the Suburban, 17-year-old Brooke Hoffman, was hospitalized for what police described as non-life-threatening injuries.

Podawiltz remained in critical condition in Memorial's intensive-care unit, a nursing supervisor said early Thursday evening.

Podawiltz had a green light, but not a turn arrow, at the time of the crash, said a spokeswoman for the St. Joseph County Fatal Alcohol Crash Team. Police also believe speed was a factor in the crash, she said.

FACT is handling the case because of the severity of the crash and injuries.

Mishawaka police Lt. Scott Parker, the assistant commander of FACT, said the crash created a field of debris that damaged as many as three other vehicles, including a South Bend police squad car.

As the Mercedes spun out of control from the impact, debris hit a vehicle that was turning left from westbound Cleveland. The Mercedes' engine and transmission then came loose, hitting an SUV that was waiting to turn left onto Cleveland from northbound Capital.

A tire from the Mercedes flew from the southbound lanes of Capital over the median and struck the South Bend police car, which was going north.

Source :
Police ID drivers in crash north of Mishawaka