NORTH MIAMI, FLA. (WSVN) - One person was killed and four others were injured after a car slammed into the rear part of a small church in North Miami.
According to North Miami Police, the white sedan crashed into the back wall of a church next to a Papa John’s Pizza in the area of Dixie Highway and Northeast 140th Street, at around 2 a.m., Saturday.
The sedan ended up on its side after it punched a 6-foot hole through the concrete.
A woman who was working near the scene said she called 911 as soon as she heard the crash and saw the victims bleeding.
“Just a loud noise. There was a crash and, I don’t know, I just see the blood with the guy and it was just, like, gotta call 911, so I called and they came,” Kiashy Andre said. “I called them twice just to make sure they came, ’cause it looked like they were really hurt badly, and they could’ve died.”
The victims were taken to area hospitals where one of them succumbed to their injuries and the others remain in unknown conditions.
“So, like, two girls, they were hurt pretty bad, and one of the guys, he had blood gushing out,” Andre said.
No one was inside the church at the time of the crash.
The church’s pastor, the Rev. Rodin Alexis, said he had been at the house of worship about two hours earlier.
“They called me at about 2 o’clock this morning to let me know what’s going on in the church,” he said, “because last night I was there, by 12 o’clock. I made the preparations for the wedding. We have a wedding today.”
Members of the congregation pitched in to help clean up debris.
Police are still investigating the cause of the crash.
“Just stay safe. Don’t be driving crazy. Be safe,” Andre said.
Sunday services at the church will be held online.
Alexis said the wedding went on as planned on Saturday afternoon because the damage was confined to the back of the building.
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