Woman's car hits business; store remains open

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Aug 21, 2008 by Phil Anderson

By Phil Anderson

THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

A car Wednesday morning jumped a curb directly in front of the Kansas Sampler store in southwest Topeka, crossing a sidewalk and striking the south side of the building at 5918 S.W. 21st.

The crash occurred about 10:15 a.m.

Three floor-to-ceiling window panels along the south wall of the store were shattered. Several metal window frames also were damaged, as was some merchandise.

No injuries were reported to the 75-year-old woman who was driving the car, a black four-door Toyota Avalon, or any of the store's employees.

No citations were issued because the accident occurred on private property, said police spokeswoman Kristi Pankratz.

Several employees narrowly missed being in the path of the accident.

"We were over there working," said store owner Peg Liebert, motioning to the southeast corner of the business, about 10 feet from where the car hit the window panes. "We heard a crash. We have so many racks, we thought maybe we'd done something wrong and one of them had fallen over."

Instead, employees were shocked to find a car had struck the business and caved in the glass panels.

The store, which sells merchandise with Kansas themes, stayed open.

"We're very fortunate that this is all it is and that nobody was injured," Liebert said, "including the driver of the car."

Broken glass was cleaned up immediately after the accident. Late Wednesday morning, Liebert was making calls to get the damaged glass panels and frames repaired.

Police Sgt. John Sturgeon said the accident was caused by "driver error."

The driver apparently hit the car's accelerator rather than the brake pedal, police said.

Phil Anderson can be reached

at (785) 295-1195

or phil.anderson@cjonline.com.