A woman was injured Thursday afternoon when a man accidentally drove his 2003 Dodge Ram pickup into the storefront of Lamas Cleaners on Memorial Drive in Hinesville.
Brittany Cartagena, 22, was taken by Liberty County EMS to Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah with undisclosed injuries after a truck plowed through the front glass door and knocked the service counter she was standing behind on top of her.
The driver, Rodger Mayes, was able to crawl out of the vehicle’s passenger door after Hinesville firefighters cleared glass and other hanging debris away from his truck.
Cpl. Les Patton of the Hinesville Police Department’s Traffic Accident Investigation Unit said the accident occurred at 2:48 p.m.
Patton said Mayes pulled midway into the parking lot but tried to stop in the middle of the driveway to allow another vehicle to back out of a parking spot.
“The gentleman in the vehicle said he started to accelerate up to the parking spot,” Patton said. “He went to put his foot on the brake and he hit the gas by mistake. The vehicle went through the front end (of the building), took out the wall, as you can see, and then hit the counter.”
Firefighters quickly removed debris from around Cartagena, placed her on a backboard and carried her to a gurney, which was lifted into an ambulance for transport.
Patton said the extent of her injuries was unknown at that moment.
Mayes appeared to have no injuries and remained on scene waiting for his insurance adjuster and a towing company.
Patton said Mayes will be cited for traffic violations.
The building will be inspected for structural damage to determine whether Lamas can re-open immediately or if the dry cleaner will have to remain closed until repairs are made.