21-04-2014:
Car hits packed church on Easter,
injures
about 20
A car slammed into a packed Florida church just as
its annual Easter concert was about to begin, barreling through its brick outer
wall and several rows of pews and injuring about 20 people, authorities said.
The car struck the Second Haitian Baptist Church on Sunday night, when about 200 people were inside, Fort Myers police Lt. Victor Medico said. When officers arrived, church members were using car jacks to lift the vehicle off of people who were trapped beneath the vehicle, The (Fort Myers) News-Press reported.
"Everybody was sitting and the service started and then 'BING' the car came in," said Jean Corjeles, who was in the church when the crash happened.
"So many people are injured," he said.
Medico said the driver, a young Haitian woman, told investigators she was looking for a parking spot when the car malfunctioned and it drove "straight into the building," adding that she said the car's brakes malfunctioned.
Lee Memorial health System spokeswoman Mary Biggs said 18 people were taken to Lee County hospitals, including four trauma patients. One of those four was later discharged. At least three of those injured are children.
The car struck the Second Haitian Baptist Church on Sunday night, when about 200 people were inside, Fort Myers police Lt. Victor Medico said. When officers arrived, church members were using car jacks to lift the vehicle off of people who were trapped beneath the vehicle, The (Fort Myers) News-Press reported.
"Everybody was sitting and the service started and then 'BING' the car came in," said Jean Corjeles, who was in the church when the crash happened.
"So many people are injured," he said.
Medico said the driver, a young Haitian woman, told investigators she was looking for a parking spot when the car malfunctioned and it drove "straight into the building," adding that she said the car's brakes malfunctioned.
Lee Memorial health System spokeswoman Mary Biggs said 18 people were taken to Lee County hospitals, including four trauma patients. One of those four was later discharged. At least three of those injured are children.
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