ST. LOUIS (KMOV/Gray News) – A man in St. Louis said he was given a $5,800 bill by the city for stoplight repairs after a crash pushed his car into a pole.
Mark Hartnagel said the crash happened on Aug. 6 at a busy intersection. He was making a left turn with a green light when an oncoming driver hit his car, slamming it into a stoplight pole.
Both drivers had green lights, with Hartnagel having a “left turn yield on green” sign.
“I started to turn in, and just as I got in there, she hit the back end of my car, and it pushed it right into the light pole,” he recalled.
The impact toppled the city-owned traffic light, leaving Hartnagel bloody and trapped in his car. Good Samaritans nearby helped him out of his crunched and totaled vehicle.
But now, four months after the crash and the light’s repair, he’s facing a $5,816.61 bill from the city to replace the damaged traffic signal.
“It says for labor, equipment, and materials used to repair and replace traffic signals,” Hartnagel said.
St. Louis police have yet to complete its investigation or determine fault in the crash.
Hartnagel said he believes the other driver may have been distracted or, at the very least, speeding.
The two drivers did not exchange contact information or insurance policies. Hartnagel was able to buy a new car thanks to his insurance, but he says paying the city’s bill would empty his bank account.
“That would be nice if I didn’t have to pay it,” Hartnagel said.
In response to the situation, the city provided the following statement:
“When City property is damaged or destroyed in a crash and the police report does not identify who is at fault, the standard procedure is to send invoices to the parties involved in causing property damage and allow the insurance carriers to determine where the liability lies.”
For now, Hartnagel is hoping to forego footing the bill.
“Right before Christmas, too. It would take me a long time to pay this off,” he said.
Data from St. Louis police shows 14 crashes have happened at the intersection so far in 2024.
“I think it’s a crazy intersection,” Hartnagel said. “Maybe there needs to be ‘left turn on green arrow only’ signs … I’m not sure.”
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