LYNNWOOD — Luckily no one was hurt late afternoon July 16 when a woman drove her car into the Furniture World store at 19215 Highway 99 in Lynnwood.
Owner Jeff Raymond said he was working with someone when the car came crashing in through two large pane windows.
“She was parking to come into the store and hit the gas instead of the brake,” Raymond said. “She bounced over the curb and then crashed into the front windows.”
He thought the car was catching on fire because of all of the smoke, but it ended up to be the tires “burning rubber,” he said, from her foot still being on the gas.
“She was kind of freaking out … she didn’t speak very good English, so I tried to calm her down and called 911,” Raymond said.
Lynnwood Police and fire responded to the scene.
According to police the woman was driving with a man in the passenger seat and two children seated in the back.
According to Lynnwood’s traffic Sgt. Jon Grabinski, the woman, for some reason, was trying to reposition her car in the parking spot and hit the gas instead of the break.
“Nobody was hurt, by the grace of God,” Grabinski said. “because the guy who was painting the window she crashed into had just finished and left.”
Grabinski said the woman had been cited for negligent driving and did have insurance. He added there were no indications of drugs, alcohol or mischievousness involved. An investigation continues.
Raymond said the car took out one of the main structures of the building and two large pane windows. He also said he lost at least one couch in the crash as well.
“It was an interesting experience, glad no one was hurt,” Raymond said. “Things happen —and I hope they’ll come back and by some furniture.”
Furniture World is still open but is using a different entrance.
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