SAN ANTONIO – Chaos erupted at the Shops at Lincoln Heights when a 61-year-old woman drove her SUV through a large window of the Saint Bernard sporting goods store, leaving shoppers in shock.
Witnesses described the incident as sounding like an “endless earthquake.”
Raven McGarity, an employee at Massage Heights, recounted the moment, saying, “There was a big thump and it was really like crazy.” McGarity rushed into the store to ensure no one was trapped under the heavy shelves, which she noted weigh between 1,000 to 2,000 pounds.
The driver, who police say showed no signs of intoxication, backed out of the store, hitting multiple cars before pinning her vehicle against a wall. Authorities are investigating whether the driver was experiencing a mental health crisis, as she appeared to have panicked during the incident.
Moises Rojas, who works nearby, expressed relief that no one was injured, saying, “I’m pretty happy nobody got hurt.” Keelin Jackson echoed this sentiment, stating, “Relieved, relieved, because if you walk in there and you see the footage, you’re almost surprised nobody was injured.”
Despite the destruction, the building sustained no major structural damage, according to the fire department. A team from Saint Bernard quickly began moving merchandise, but declined to comment on repair and reopening plans. Rojas added, “I hope they get back on track and they fix everything soon.”
Currently, the driver is not facing any criminal charges.
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Local businesses are picking up the pieces after a driver rammed into a shopping center on the north side.
Around 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, first responders were called to the scene of the incident at The Shops at Lincoln Heights, at the corner of East Basse Road and Broadway.
Video captures the moment the vehicle backed out of the store window, striking a parked SUV before driving out of frame.
This is a developing story. We’ll update this article as we learn more.