4 children taken to hospital after woman crashes vehicle into Columbia day care
Four children were taken to a hospital after a woman crashed a car into a Columbia day care.
The Lexus IS25 sedan smashed through the brick wall of the infant section of Cadence Academy Preschool, said Columbia Police Department spokeswoman Jennifer Timmons.
Police say the four infants were taken to a local hospital but were not seriously injured.
Police were called to the scene at 450 Columbiana Drive around 1:15 p.m.
The woman told police she accidentally stepped on the gas instead of the brake, Timmons said. No charges will be filed.
Day care workers moved other children to an isolated area inside of the school, police said. Rocking chairs and cribs were clearly visible through a gaping hole in the wall.
At about 3:30 p.m., both the parking lot of the day care and the neighboring Miyabi Japanese Steakhouse were filled with cars and parents picking up their children. Many were concerned after being told only that there had been an accident.
“I’m OK now,” said Mandy Hodge, who lingered with a friend after picking up her 4-year-old son. “I was shaking on the way here.”
Several families surveyed the damage from the parking lot, where an Irmo fire truck and several Columbia police cars remained several hours after the crash.
“It looks like there’s been a car crash here,” said a curly-haired little girl, propped comfortably on her mother’s hip. “Mommy was scared.”
This story was originally published January 25, 2019 at 2:45 PM.
