A 7-year-old Centreville girl who was in critical condition after being injured in an auto accident last week has now been upgraded to "good" condition, according to Janice Moore, spokeswoman for Inova Fairfax Hospital for Children. The child is Emily Austin of the Heritage Estates community.
The accident occurred Thursday, Feb. 20, around 11:30 p.m. on New Braddock Road at Singletons Way in Centreville. According to police, Emily was sitting in the right-front passenger seat of a 1995 Plymouth Neon sedan being driven by her mother, Elizabeth Austin, 39.
Police say Austin was traveling westbound on New Braddock and trying to turn left onto Singletons Way when her car was struck broadside by a 2001 Ford Escape driven by Richard Claussen, 49, of Little Rocky Run. Police say Claussen was driving eastbound on New Braddock; his vehicle smashed into the Neon's passenger side, causing both vehicles to come to rest against a snowbank.
Austin and her three passengers — Emily, Michael Austin, 13, and Cedric Tiempo, 14 — were transported to Inova Fairfax Hospital. Austin and Michael were treated for minor injuries and released; Cedric was held for observation of minor injuries. Emily was in critical condition for a few days, before she improved.
Police say neither speed nor alcohol were factors in the accident. The investigation is continuing and, as of late Tuesday, no charges had been placed against either driver.
<tgl> — Bonnie Hobbs