Woman presses wrong pedal
By John Joyce
Published in News on December 31, 2013 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/BOBBY WILLIAMS
Goldsboro police secure the scene at the Rite Aid on East Ash Street after the driver of this Ford Focus, Frances Wood, 75, is taken to Wayne Memorial Hospital. Ms. Wood struck the pillar to the left of the pharmacy's entrance, destroying the cinderblock facade. No one else was injured.
A Goldsboro woman was injured Monday when her car struck a support pillar in front of the Rite Aid at 806 E. Ash St. just before 1 p.m.
Frances Tyndall Wood, 75, 1313 N. Carolina St., dropped her grandson off, then circled around the building. As she drove back around to the front parking lot area, she apparently mistook the gas pedal for the brake, according to a witness account.
Ms. Wood drove directly into the cinderblock base of a support pillar, obliterating the entire facade below the remaining plaster and mesh portion of the column.
Both airbags deployed.
Ms. Wood was transported to Wayne Memorial Hospital to be checked for injuries.
"It's mostly cosmetic damage, the actual support beam suffered no structural damage," Assistant Fire Chief James Farfour said.
A city building inspector was called out to assess the damage.
Rite Aid management declined to comment.
Goldsboro police Officer Matthew Sellers took the accident report and cited Ms. Wood for careless and reckless driving.
The parking space, in which her vehicle came to rest in front of the damaged pillar, was a handicapped space.
"I don't know if she had a handicapped sticker. That is something I'll speak to her about at the hospital," he said.