UPDATE -- Driver who fell asleep triggers four-vehicle accident downtown

Emergency crews work on one of the victims of the accident downtown Wednesday.

Four people were treated and released at the local hospital following a four-vehicle accident in downtown Mountain Home Wednesday afternoon.

The accident occurred Wednesday afternoon at about 4:30 p.m. in the 100 block of N. 2nd East St., just beyond the exit to the underpass.

After interviewing the victims at the hospital Wednesday evening, police said the accident began when Manuel Hernandez, driving a red Ford Explorer, fell asleep at the wheel while in traffic at the exit to the underpass.

His vehicle then struck a white Grand Am driven by Colleen Rush several times in the rear of the Grand Am. She drove forward and to the side to avoid any additional collissions.

The Hernandez vehicle then continued on and hit a white Suburban owned by Ed Walters that was parked on the left-hand side of the street, and then hit a red Pontiac Sunfire owned by Janis Sebring that had been parked in front of Walter's vehicle. Sebring was standing outside her car and was hit by Hernandez, who then proceeded to make an abrupt turn to the left, driving into the wall separating Mountain Home Printing and the Charlie's Place bar.

There was heavy damage to the window and wall of Mountain Home Printing. The vehicle itself was totalled with one of the Explorer's axles snapped completely in half.

Police said Hernandez told them he did not remember hitting any vehicle. Hernandez, Rush and her passenger, Sheena Rush, and Sebring were all taken to Elmore Medical Center where they were treated and released.

The accident occurred during a time of heavy traffic in the area due to base personnel leaving the day shift.

While ambulance crews and police were on scene assisting the victims and clearing the debris from the roadway, the accident slowed traffic significantly coming up from the underpass to drive through downtown. Vehicles were backed up toward Airbase Road for more than half a mile at one point.

No charges had been filed by early Thursday morning and the accident remains under investigation.