MARTINEZ, CALIFORNIA – A woman accidentally drove her car into the side of a Safeway in Martinez on Wednesday afternoon, injuring a 71-year-old shopper inside the store after the impact knocked over an ice machine, according to police.
The crash happened at about 3:45 p.m. at the Safeway at 6688 Alhambra Avenue.
According to Martinez police, the driver was a 76-year-old woman who told officers she mistakenly hit the gas instead of the brake while trying to park. Police said the vehicle jumped the curb, went through several potted plants, and slammed into the east side of the building near the north entrance.
Inside the store, the force of the crash caused an ice machine to fall and strike a 71-year-old woman who was shopping. Authorities said she then fell and hit her head. First responders found her conscious and breathing, and she was taken to John Muir Medical Center in Concord as a precaution.
Police said the driver was not injured, remained at the scene, and is cooperating with the investigation. Authorities also said they do not believe drugs or alcohol were factors in the collision, which they described as the result of driver error.
