3 injured when vehicle crashes through festival barricade

CLAYTON, N.C. (AP) – Authorities say three people were taken to a hospital after being struck by a vehicle that crashed through a barricade at a harvest festival.

Town of Clayton spokeswoman Stacy Beard says it happened about 2 a.m. on Saturday when the vehicle drove into vendor tents and cooking equipment set up downtown. The injuries were not life-threatening.

Beard says the injured were cooking barbecue overnight to serve Saturday at the Clayton Harvest and Music Festival. Clayton is southeast of Raleigh.

The driver, 18-year-old Matthew Cecil Gilbert of Raleigh, was charged with simple possession of marijuana and failure to reduce speed to avoid a collision.

Police say he was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol. It was not immediately known if he had an attorney.

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