Car crashes into Queens supermarket; 5 hurt

WHITESTONE (WABC) -- At least five people are still in the hospital after a car crashed into a supermarket in Queens Tuesday evening.

Around 6:30 p.m., a 72-year-old woman accidentally mistook the gas pedal for the brakes of her SUV at the height of the shopping rush and crashed into the Whitestone store. The Mercedes SUV ended up deep in the supermarket near the produce section.

"It definitely could have been a disaster without a doubt. One patient is too many, but definitely could have been worse," said Juan Maldonado, of the Office of Emergency Management.

When it was over, the only sound was the gushing of water from shattered pipes and the sprinkler system which was triggered.

An evacuation order was issued by the Department of Buildings for the store, which is in a strip mall, but it is not in danger of collapse. The store will remain closed until the department clears it.

The five victims remain in the hospital with non-life threatening injuries; one remains in serious condition. The others are listed as stable. Three people were taken to Booth Memorial Hospital, while two others were taken to Elmhurst Hospital.

The five victims, employees and customers, found themselves right in the car's path as it careened through the store. One of them, a security guard, was face down in a rising flood.

"The guy was absolutely wrecked and it looked like he was about to drown," said Fernando Herrera, an eyewitness.

"He was covered with white stuff and blood, I guess from whatever fell from the ceiling," Alberta Graziosa, a nearby resident, said.

The driver will likely not be charged since it appears the incident was an accident.

"We didn't know what hit us," said Graziosa.

The SUV almost plowed into Darica Doward, an eyewitness. "I see a lady full throttle going straight at the supermarket," she said. "And then once I jumped out the way, I'm like, I know she's not going to go through that building."

"It was like 50 mph it like flew through the store," said Herrera.

"And I don't understand how she picked up that amount of speed in a parking lot with cars all over, how?" Graziosa said. "It sounded nothing like a car. Nothing. It sounded like a bomb that was emanating."