SUNDRE – Although the circumstances that led an elder motorist to crash their vehicle into a Sundre eatery remain under investigation, police have determined the cause was not criminal.
“There’s no criminal cause for this collision. The driver was sober,” said Cpl. Courtney Harding, the Sundre RCMP detachment’s acting commander.
Early on the afternoon of Tuesday, Jan. 28, emergency crews were dispatched in response to a call about a vehicle that had crashed through the front windows and into the building housing the Kodiak BBQ & Deli.
“Upon arrival, (Sundre) fire and EMS were already on scene, along with the Town of Sundre peace officers just assessing the health and safety of everybody involved,” Harding told the Albertan in response to follow-up questions.
“We determined the 80-year-old driver of the SUV had accelerated when they should have been braking pulling into that parking spot, which resulted in driving up over the curb and into the window,” she said, adding the driver was not hurt.
“We’re just basically assessing for driver fitness and health at this point in time.”
Although a lone 64-year-old male at a table near the window “was struck by the vehicle while he was sitting in the chair,” the man was fortunately not seriously hurt, she said.
“He did have minor injuries, but he was looked at by paramedics on scene,” the corporal said, adding the male was subsequently determined not to have suffered anything serious.
The deli was not as lucky.
“There is significant damage to the front end of the business,” she said.
Several large pane windows were completely smashed out with further damage caused to brick lining along the bottom of the wall and it was not immediately known about how long the establishment might remain closed.
