A woman crashed her car Monday morning into a Palo Alto apartment complex behind two El Camino Real businesses, according to the city's fire department.
The department received a call around 11:30 a.m. alerting them to the accident. A woman had driven her car over the curb and through a fence into the side of a three-unit apartment building behind Stanford Carpets and Green Mail at 3770 El Camino Real, damaging the building enough that it has been deemed "not livable" at this point, said Fire Inspector John Parks. No one was inside any of the units at the time of the accident.
The crash caused a power outage for the two El Camino Real businesses in front of the building; power has since been restored.
The driver declined any medical attention, according to fire personnel. Police said they didn't suspect the driver was impaired in any way.
Comments
Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Feb 24, 2014 at 2:28 pm
on Feb 24, 2014 at 2:28 pm
OK .. so the driver declined medical attention. What about a Field Sobriety Test--did she decline that one too, or did the police give her a pass?
Got to wonder.
Downtown North
on Feb 24, 2014 at 3:35 pm
on Feb 24, 2014 at 3:35 pm
Really glad she didn't kill anyone on the sidewalk or in any of the buildings that she smashed. I hope the newspaper will do a followup on exactly how this near tragedy happened. Anyone who shares the road (and sidewalks) with this woman deserves to know who she is and exactly what happened.
Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Feb 24, 2014 at 3:48 pm
on Feb 24, 2014 at 3:48 pm
One person immediately thought about alcohol. I immediately thought it was another elderly person confusing the brake with the gas pedal.
Either way, I am so pleased nobody near the building was hurt this time. But that woman driver should not be driving.
Ventura
on Feb 24, 2014 at 4:08 pm
on Feb 24, 2014 at 4:08 pm
It is not a car, it is a large SUV.
another community
on Feb 24, 2014 at 4:29 pm
on Feb 24, 2014 at 4:29 pm
Why I was just thinking to myself...I haven't seen a ridiculous stunt pulled by an SUV driver in Palo Alto in a while, we must be due"
I swear to god, I said it out loud to my wife Saturday evening as I watch someone texting in their Mercedes SUV while weaving down Central.
The whole town is becoming like a bad intersection on El Camino: avoid at all costs unless you have to.
Palo Verde
on Feb 24, 2014 at 8:06 pm
on Feb 24, 2014 at 8:06 pm
She crashed into a building - a very large, nonmoving object. What does it take to be considered impaired?
Reminds me of the time I watched a driver repeatedly smash into two parked cars, and then try to drive into someone's house, being stopped only by the tree in their front yard (near Louis & Loma Verde). It was deemed an "accident".
Registered user
East Palo Alto
on Feb 24, 2014 at 8:29 pm
Registered user
on Feb 24, 2014 at 8:29 pm
I can see jumping the curb. I can see hitting a fence. But jumping a curb, going through a fence and into a building - now that takes something...like not releasing the accelerator and using the brakes.
Charleston Meadows
on Feb 25, 2014 at 12:05 am
on Feb 25, 2014 at 12:05 am
My home was crashed into this time last year. The lady drove though curb, a fence, a wall, a treadmill, a stereo system, desks, finally stopped by another wall. Police also let her go without a ticket. I head she may have a seizure. (Never confirmed. It could also be a very long texting) If you have uncontrolled seizure like this, you don't drive, right? Not really. Driving is a like god-given right here. Unfortunately, most people do not understand the responsibility involved in operating a 3000 lb machine.
Downtown North
on Feb 26, 2014 at 11:22 am
on Feb 26, 2014 at 11:22 am
I'm tired of this bias against cars we are seeing more and more of lately. Let's get all the facts before we jump to conclusions about this driver being the one at fault. The building may have jumped out in front of the driver, giving her no time to react. A lot of buildings act clueless and completely oblivious to the fact that they are only a few feet from a busy roadway.
Palo Alto High School
on Jun 5, 2017 at 6:42 am
on Jun 5, 2017 at 6:42 am
Due to repeated violations of our Terms of Use, comments from this poster are automatically removed. Why?