Shooting involving two vehicles on Sterling and Gilbert results in crash, collapsed pool

PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — Peoria police confirmed a shooting took place that led to a vehicle crashing into multiple fences and collapsing a backyard pool.

Public Information Officer Amy Dotson said around 12:45 p.m., police received a call about the crash located at W. Gilbert Ave. and N. Sterling Ave.

When officers arrived at the scene, they discovered a silver Ford Fusion that left the roadway and struck a fence, collapsing a backyard pool and hitting another fence. A preliminary investigation concluded that a shooting occurred that involved two vehicles, leading one vehicle to swerve off the road.

Police said they shut down southbound Sterling from Gilbert to Rockwood to clean up the area and look for evidence.

Rita McCreary said she was at home at the time the car ran into her backyard, destroying her fence, her pool, and ending up in her neighbor’s backyard.

“I heard a loud pop and I looked out of the bedroom window and saw the fence caving in,” McCreary said. “I saw a car hit the pool, the pool exploded and I jumped up and went yelling for my husband.”

McCreary said once she looked out of the window, she saw three young men running out of the car. She said her family has lived in the area for almost eleven years and she’s never seen anything like this before.

“Nothing like this has happened to my knowledge, McCreary said. “It’s out of the ordinary and it has to stop.”

She said her family is choosing to be calm about the situation and they’re going to let their insurance assess the damage.

“It just has to stop,” McCreary said. “We’re choosing to deal with it pretty level-headed, I mean it’s not that we’re not upset but there’s a lot of other things going on that need to be addressed. This is just stuff and we’ll get passed it.”

Dotson said there are four people being interviewed for information about the incident. She noted two guns were recovered from the scene and there were no victims from the shootout or the wreck.

An investigation into the matter is ongoing.

This developing story will be updated as more information becomes available.