When police officers respond to accident calls, they probably hear almost every excuse possible.

But a man involved in an accident in the east end of Elizabethton on Tuesday offered what may be one of the most unusual reasons Elizabethton Police officers have encountered.

The driver of one of the cars in a three-car accident told officers he wrecked because he had been punched in the genitals.

On Tuesday afternoon at about 5 p.m., EPD officers responded to calls of a hit and run accident near Food City.

On arrival at the scene, EPD Cpl. Doug Combs found three damaged cars and a large amount of debris at the intersection of Northeast Street and Broad street.

A white Chevrolet Malibu, with heavy rear-end damage, had pulled into the Food City parking lot; a gray Nissan Sentra with “heavy” front end damage had come to a stop against a road sign and a white Volkswagen Cabriolet with damage to the rear passenger side was pulled over on the side of the road.

Witnesses told EPD officers the two passengers in the Sentra had fled the scene. EPD Cpl. Ryan Brackett said he found the passenger, Dillon Edward Lark, sitting in a chair in a yard on First Street.

Lark told Brackett he was a passenger in the car, that the driver had picked him up in South Carolina and that he was asleep at the time of the accident. Lark also allegedly told Brackett he ran from the car after he woke up because the driver did.

When EPD officers found the driver, Cody Wayne Hughes, he offered a different story. According to Combs, Hughes said Lark had been “huffing” from an air duster and was under the influence.

“Hughes stated that Mr. Lark was a passenger in the vehicle and that Mr. Lark punched him in the genitals, causing the motor vehicle wreck,” Brackett wrote.

After questioning Lark again, Brackett reported Lark admitted he knew Hughes and had known him for some time.

After the alleged punch, Hughes lost control of the vehicle and struck the rear end of the Malibu, causing it to cross the lane and hit the Cabriolet.

A can of air duster was reported found near the center console of the Sentra.

Lark was arrested and charged with filing a false report and reckless endangerment.

Hughes was arrested and charged with leaving the scene of an accident, duty to render aid, violation of financial responsibility law, driving while suspended and violation of probation.