TOPSHAM, Maine — An 87-year-old Topsham woman escaped injury after driving her car into the side of a Rite Aid pharmacy building on Monday afternoon.
Topsham Police Officer Troy Garrison was called to Ride Aid, at 77 Mallett Drive, at 2:37 p.m. Monday. Garrison said Helen Crowder, 87, a resident of The Highlands, reportedly struck the building while attempting to park her 2010 Toyota Corolla in front of the store.
When Crowder went to press on the brake pedal, she hit the gas instead, causing the vehicle to shoot forward up over the sidewalk and strike the side of the building facing Mallet Drive head-on, according to Garrison.
When Garrison arrived, the vehicle was parked in a parking space.
Garrison said the car pushed in the wall by between 1.5 and 2 feet. The impact knocked products inside the store onto the floor. Crowder was checked at the scene but was not injured, nor was anyone in the store.
Due to the structural damage the building incurred, Garrison said he called Topsham Fire Chief Brian Stockdale to assess the situation. The town’s codes enforcement officer Tom Lister also inspected the building, and Garrison said it was determined the store could stay open.
Crowder’s air bags did not deploy during the crash, and Garrison estimates her car sustained damage estimated at $200 to $300.
Garrison estimated the damage to the Rite Aid wall to be between $15,000 to $20,000. Crowder did have insurance, according to Garrison.
The Rite Aid manager called for Rite Aid maintenance to respond as well, Garrison said.
Possible charges are pending, Garrison said Monday.
To see more from The Times Record, visit timesrecord.com.
Once again we should be asking ourselves if folks over a certain age should not have to periodically take a driving test to evaluate their skills behind the wheel? This lady is fortunate she did not injure herself or anyone else, but do we really want to wait and see whether she has another accident where people or hurt or killed?
Full disclosure: I’m North of 65 years old and would have no problem if I was required to requalify on an annual basis for my drivers license.
….
When is the state going to start requiring road test exams for people when they get to be elderly???? We are reading these stories all the time and its just lucky that no one has been seriously hurt.