Crash at the car wash

Photo: Deborah Pfeiffer

Assistant manager Adrian Pay shows scrapes on wall

Employees at a Penticton car wash were startled Thursday afternoon, when a vehicle waiting to get washed, crashed into the building instead.

The incident took place at Super Wash On Main on Main Street at around 2:45 p.m.

"It was a shock," said Ernie Murtland, an eyewitness to the crash. "I thought she, (the woman driver), was going straight through the wall."

The woman, along with a male passenger, were just coming in for a car wash, when for some reason she decided she had to back up, Murtland said.

But her foot was on the gas instead of the brake pedal, and she started going backwards toward another vehicle.

Then, at the last second, she put it in drive, but didn't let off on the gas, coming forward into the building, he said.

After it made impact, employees assisted the elderly couple, who appeared to be uninjured. Fire, police and ambulance were all on scene, said Murtland.

The car was badly damaged on the passenger side. The only damage to the building was on the side where the vehicle made impact.

"I've never seen anything like that working here," said assistant manager Adrian Pay. "It appeared she hit the gas pedal instead of the brake and panicked."