News - Local News

POSTED: Monday, Jul. 06, 2009

Van drives through three businesses at Bakerview Square

BELLINGHAM - Selina Doran thought she was feeling the force of an earthquake Friday afternoon, July 3, when a van struck the outside wall of the Labels Women's Consignment Store where she works in Bakerview Square.

The earthquake turned out to be the impact of a white 2001 Honda Odyssey van. A 17-year-old driver from Lynden told police her foot slipped, bearing down on the gas pedal when she meant to hit the brakes and causing the van to careen out of control through three businesses, said Bellingham Police Sgt. Tim Lintz. No one was injured.

The van, which belonged to the girl's parents, slammed into M&T Nails at 5:02 p.m., took a hard right, and bore into the unoccupied business next door before finally bumping into the wall shared with Labels, Lintz said.

Doran said she was standing behind the counter, 10 feet from where the van hit the other side of the wall, when the store began to shake, shoes were flung from their racks and mounted racks fell from the cracked, damaged wall. The 10 customers who had been shopping "freaked out," some by running out of the clothing store for a better view, Doran said.

When Doran went outside, she said the owners of M&T Nails were shocked and in tears. The front windows of their business lay shattered.

M&T Nails employees were unavailable Monday for comment. Morgan Bartlett Jr., owner of Bakerview Square, did not return phone calls.

The driver now faces a charge of negligent driving and could be fined up to $250, Lintz said. The Bellingham Herald does not publish the names of minors charged in crimes that don't involve significant injury or death.

Aside from the rack with size 8 shoes, repairs have been made at Labels, and they are currently being made at M&T Nails, Doran said.

"I'm thankful no one got hurt," she said. "God definitely had his hand on everyone there that day."