Metro Atlanta
Metro Atlanta

Video shows harrowing crash into Piedmont Hospital ER

A car suddenly went careening into the ER, injuring four people and killing one.
By Christian Boone
Aug 11, 2020

Newly released video shows the terrifying moment when a Mercedes-Benz SUV plowed into another vehicle and then through the lobby of Piedmont Hospital’s emergency room in June.

Atlanta police said at the time it appeared the crash was not deliberate. Video shows the SUV sitting in the traffic circle outside the hospital. Suddenly it accelerates, crashing into another car before careening into the lobby. The 75-year-old driver was not injured. Atlanta police have said the action was not deliberate and haven’t released information regarding what caused the driver to lose control.

One person died and four were hurt. The crash left Kai Bailey, 29, with broken hips and pelvis.

“I remember running from the red SUV,” Bailey said during a Tuesday news conference with her attorney. She was sitting just outside the entrance when the crash occurred. “Either way I went I was going to get hit that day.”

Bailey spent 30 days in a rehabilitation facility to receive treatment for injuries she sustained in the incident. She was at Piedmont that day waiting on a friend whom she had taken to the ER.

About the Author

A native Atlantan, Boone joined the AJC staff in 2007. He quickly carved out a niche covering crime stories, assuming the public safety beat in 2014. He's covered some of the biggest trials this decade, from Hemy Neuman to Ross Harris to Chip Olsen, the latter of which was featured on Season 7 of the AJC's award-winning "Breakdown" podcast.

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