SOUTH POINT — A two-vehicle accident on U.S. 52 near the Sam’s Club in South Point had cars backed up for miles and slowed traffic to a single lane for more than an hour this morning.

The accident happened around 7:45 a.m. near the intersection of U.S. 52 and Sam’s-Wal-Mart Way.

Ohio State Highway Patrol Trooper Rob McClelland said that a witness reported traffic in the eastbound lane had been stopped at the stop light at the intersection. It was just beginning to start up again, when the older model maroon mini-van apparently plowed into the back of a semi cab at an excessive rate of speed. The witness reported to the patrol that there seemed to be no attempt by the mini van driver to stop.

The drivers of both vehicles and the passenger in the mini van were taken to the trauma unit at Cabell Huntington Hospital.

The impact left the hood of the mini van impaled in the back end of the semi. The engine of the mini van was crushed back into the front seats.

The van’s battery lay on the pavement in a pool of antifreeze. The van’s air bags had apparently deployed. There were no apparent skid marks on the pavement.

Fayette No. 1 and Chesapeake volunteer fire departments also responded to the scene.

Names of the victims and additional information were not available at press time. Patient conditions were also not available.