BENTON, IL — Three people were injured and a driver fled the scene after a semi involved in a two-vehicle accident crashed into multiple buildings in Benton Friday morning.

According to Illinois State Police, around 11:30 a.m., 36-year-old Joshua Sims of Christopher was driving his minivan north on McLeansboro Street as another vehicle, a semi driven by 46-year-old Bryan Karcher of McLeansboro, was going west on Illinois 14.

Sims failed to stop at the stop sign on McLeansboro Street and Illinois 14 and struck the front end of Karcher’s semi as it entered the intersection. The semi left the roadway to the left, struck two buildings, two pedestrians, two parked vehicles and a trailer.

Sims fled the scene and was apprehended by Franklin County deputies. Sims was taken to the hospital by ambulance with non-life threatening injuries.

Two passengers in Sims’ vehicle, 20-year-old Maria R. Hampton and 26-year-old Donavan H. Weidig both of Benton, refused medical attention. The pedestrians, 60-year-old Larry Lampley of Whittington and an unidentified man, were both taken by ambulance to an area hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

ISP says charges will be forthcoming pending further investigation.