3 teens arrested in drag race injury accident

Three teenage boys were arrested today at Free State High School for their part in a drag race that led to an accident that injured a teenage girl and her two passengers last week in west Lawrence.

A Lawrence Police spokeswoman said a 15-year-old and two 16-year-olds were arrested on charges of aggravated battery, battery, racing and reckless driving. All three were taken to the Douglas County Juvenile Detention Center.

The arrests are the result of an investigation into an injury accident that occurred at 3:01 p.m. Oct. 6 in the 6000 block of Bob Billings Parkway (formerly West 15th Street).

“Investigators concluded that the accident was the direct result of a contest of speed between the three male students,” according to the police spokeswoman.

The vehicles involved in the race were a 1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse, a 2000 Ford Mustang and a 1997 Ford Acura 3.2 TL, the spokeswoman said.

The accident occurred when the 15-year-old driver of the Eclipse lost control and struck the Mustang, which was being driven along a parallel course, the spokeswoman said.

The Eclipse driver tried to correct his direction and swerved into an oncoming 2002 Hyundai Accent, driven by Whitney Laudick , 15, Lawrence, according to the police spokeswoman.

Laudick and her two passengers, Lori Jo Moore, Lawrence, and Liz Dyche, Lawrence, were treated for injuries at Lawrence Memorial Hospital, the police spokeswoman said.

Laudick suffered a broken finger and severely sprained ankle. Moore suffered two broken wrists and Dyche had minor head and neck injuries, the police spokeswoman said.