Driver crashes car into Third Street Alliance
Sunday, December 05, 2004
By JENNA PORTNOY
The Express-Times
EASTON – No one was injured Saturday morning when a 92-year-old man drove his car through the doors of the Third Street Alliance gym, police said.
At 11:20 a.m. Walter Lerch, of the 100 block of South Fourth Street, was attempting to park his 1992 Chrysler in the alliance’s parking lot when he accidentally hit the gas pedal instead of the brakes, police said. Edit: Heh, I seen one time in junior high school, person had drive instead of reverse in, drive over a curb and partway through a fence.
The force of the collision ripped three of four metal doors off their hinges and bent the door frame beyond repair. Edit: If he had KIAI’ed he would have surely been successful in gaining entrance.
Judy Matthewson, executive director of the alliance, said a tae kwon do class was poised to run laps around the gym when the crash occurred.
“This is why I’m so pleased that people do carry insurance,” she said. “I feel badly for the man. He’s an older gentleman and I know he’ll be carrying the weight of this around for a while.”
She couldn’t estimate what it will cost to fix the damage.
The nonprofit organization recently spent about $200,000 to fix heat and exhaust systems and other mechanics associated with its indoor pool.
“The income from the pool was gone for a while, but it’s back up and running,” Mattewson said. "Now this will close the gym down for a while. But you got to be ready to roll with life’s punches and that’s what we’ll do.
“Just I’m so so thankful that no one was hurt.”
The Third Street Alliance for Women and Children provides shelter, food and job training to women and offers child care, senior care and exercise opportunities.
http://www.nj.com/news/expresstimes/pa/index.ssf?/base/news-13/110224105844300.xml
To paraphrase KFSS, "noooooo so close!!!’