By Danny Harrison

Published: May 6, 2008

Enterprise police are investigating two serious vehicle wrecks within 36 hours that sent eight people to the hospital.

Enterprise police said Monday morning that 22-year-old Antonio Delacruz of Enterprise has been charged with DUI and first-degree assault in connection with a Saturday night, three-vehicle wreck on Rucker Boulevard that sent him and five others to the hospital.

Police Captain Mike Lolley said Delacruz and one passenger were traveling westbound on Rucker Boulevard when Delacruz drove into the back of another westbound vehicle and struck it a second time before veering left into oncoming eastbound traffic. Lolley said Delacruz then struck a second vehicle in a head-on collision.

Lolley said two occupants from each of the three vehicles were transported from the scene by ambulance.

Police are also investigating a late Monday morning accident involving a tractor-trailer and a full-size Cadillac sedan at the intersection of Boll Weevil Circle and Hwy. 167.

According to Lolley, the tractor-trailer was moving westbound along Boll Weevil Circle when the driver allegedly ran a red light at the Hwy. 167 North intersection and collided with the Cadillac, which was apparently making a left turn from Hwy. 167 to the eastbound side of Boll Weevil Circle.

The adult driver and one child were stabilized and removed from the car. Lolley said they were transported to Medical Center Enterprise. He said the victims’ injuries seemed to be severe, but not life threatening.

That same intersection is scheduled for improvements Tuesday by Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) crews.

Currently, there are three lanes leading from Hwy. 167 North to Boll Weevil Circle. The left laneis left-turn only; the middle lane is straight only; and the right one is right-turn only.

City Engineering Director Stephen McCollough said the middle lane will be restriped and resignaled to allow vehicles in that lane to have the option of continuing straight into the Lowe’s shopping center or turning left onto eastbound Boll Weevil Circle.

McCollough said the far left and right lanes will continue to flow as normal, except that the far left lane will be dedicated to flowing into the left lane on the eastbound side of Boll Weevil Circle.