DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - A driver smashed their car into a souvenir shop in Deerfield Beach, Monday afternoon.
Employees of the Beachcomber souvenir shop boarded up the gaping hole in the business, Monday night, after a 70-year-old driver reversed their car when pulling out of a parking spot.
According to the Broward Sheriff’s Office, the motorist put his Cadillac Escalade in reverse when pulling out of the parking spot across the street from the Beachcomber souvenir shop, located on North Ocean Drive. The driver didn’t stop, reversing all the way into the store’s front window.
The driver told BSO that it felt like the pedal got stuck when he tried to go forward.
Property manager Van Anastasia said the collision caught employees and customers by surprise. “Someone putting their vehicle in reverse and coming across two lanes of traffic, hitting a parked car and ending up in the store,” he said. “It’s unexpected. There’s nothing you could do to protect yourself against that.”
Surveillance video shows the SUV reversing over the sidewalk before hitting a parked car and then going into the store.
The co-owner of the Beachcomber, Joan Hudson, said she isn’t sure what stopped the car once it crashed into the store.
“They just heard a large crash and everything came flying airborne into the store,” Hudson said, “and how that SUV stopped, we don’t know what made him stop. Because he came, I heard 60 miles per hour, from right across the street, in reverse, right through our store.”
One shopper and two employees walked away from the wreckage without injury.
“Luckily, it didn’t go any further,” Hudson said, “even though there is quite a bit of damage in that section of our store.”
Now, employees are boarding up the store’s front window. Loose bricks, broken glass and damaged merchandise could be seen in several areas of the store.
“It is amazing. It’s a blessing that nobody really got hurt today,” said Bob Amante, the owner of a neighboring restaurant.
Hudson hopes to keep the other side of the store open.
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