Staff report
KANNAPOLIS ó A woman customer at a North Ridge Avenue convenience store sustained injuries Tuesday night when a car accelerated from the parking lot, crashed into the front of the store and hit her inside the store.
The accident occurred about 7:15 p.m. Tuesday, and when Kannapolis firefighters arrived, they found the car lodged in the doors of Luna’s Deli and Mini Mart at 900 N. Ridge Ave.
Both the woman driver, Calixta Gutierrez, 53, and the customer, Luz Florentino, 33, were treated and released at Carolinas Medical Center-Northeast Tuesday night.
Kannapolis firefighters called for more personnel for patient care and Concord Fire & Life Safety’s Structure Collapse team to determine the stability of the structure.
Gutierrez was driving a white, four-door Buick Skylark. According to a Kannapolis Police report, she accidentally pressed the gas pedal instead of the brake while she was in the store parking lot.
“We appreciate the multi-agency support we were given on this incident,” Battalion Chief Tracy Winecoff said.
“Our initial concern was the possibility of multiple victims. In addition to patient care, the instability of the structure and concern for scene safety were also issues. We train for these types of multi-departmental scenarios on a regular basis so that we have the necessary resources when the time comes.”
Firefighters remained on the scene for about two hours assisting police with their investigation and until the vehicle was removed from the structure.
No one else was in the Buick.
Kannapolis Police issued no charges.