NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) — A driver crashed into the front of a Newport News daycare center on Wednesday afternoon.
No injuries have been reported at this time at True Heart Child Care and Learning Academy at 10856 Warwick Blvd., police say. The call for the crash came in at 12:18 p.m.
It’s still unclear what led to the crash, and whether the driver will face any charges.
There were 31 children inside at the time, and parents were starting to come by to pick up their kids just before 1 p.m., 10 On Your Side’s Amy Avery reports.
The car went through the front and side wall into another unit, leading to the daycare and the other business being condemned.
Lisa Travis said her 2-year-old daughter Zoey has been coming to this daycare since she was six months old. She said she was shocked to get the phone call.
“They told me that all the kids were fine and that someone had driven into the building, and that they were concerned about the structural aspect of the building,” said Travis.
She said she’s thankful everyone is OK.
“It’s indescribable,” Travis said. “I’m glad she’s OK. I’m glad all the other kids are OK. She’s been at this daycare since she was six months old — she loves it. The workers are great and for this to happen it’s like, ‘Oh my goodness, you know.'”
This marks the third local case of a driver crashing into a building in recent days. Two people were hurt after a driver crashed their car into a shopping center on Jefferson Avenue in Newport News on Tuesday.
Two people were hurt in this incident, the driver and one person inside the Brightview Addiction Treatment Center.
Officials there said they’re working to help transfer clients to other centers in Hampton Roads, until they’re back up and running, or set them up with tele-health visits.
And on Feb. 6, no one was hurt after the driver of a truck slammed into the Chesapeake Humane Society’s clinic. That crash was deemed an accident, due to the driver hitting the gas instead of brakes.
Newport News Assistant Fire Chief David Lewis said there are a lot of hazards firefighters need to take into consideration when responding to an accident like this, like how stable the building is and even the type of car.
“Yesterday we had a hybrid vehicle, so there’s that component you have to take into consideration,” Lewis said. “We also had water mixing with electrical lines yesterday, and then, of course, we have the factor of the personnel.”
Lewis said crashes like this happen more often than people think.
Last month, a car crashed into fire station three on Jefferson Avenue, a couple miles south of the crash that happened on Tuesday.
He said these incidents, especially the daycare crash, could’ve been a lot worse.
“The building can be replaced,” Lewis said. “It can be fixed. These [kids] are our future. This is 31 kids — how many family members could’ve been impacted today? So, we are thankful everyone is OK.”
Lewis said reasons for accidents like this could be vehicle failure, driver error or could be medical in nature.
“Maintenance is always a huge thing that we push for,” Lewis said. “Take care of your vehicles and for individuals inside, if you’re a business owner, make sure you adhere to any recommendations that our fire inspectors give you.”
Both the treatment center and the daycare are closed while repairs are being made.
Continue to check WAVY.com for updates.
