Medical Issue Caused Driver to Crash Into Senior Center, Says Pryor Creek Police

Pryor Creek Police said a medical episode likely caused a woman to crash into a senior center as employees were preparing lunch Monday.

Police said everyone, including the woman, was okay.

It was a close call for a handful of people who were in the car's path just minutes earlier. A driver, who police believe was having a medical episode, crashed through the front door of the Community Action Resource and Development Senior Center and slammed into a kitchen.

"About five of us had just walked away from the area. And we heard a loud explosion,” Site Manager Donna Rosenwinkel said.

The center provides lunch and other activities during the week and also brings food to homebound seniors. The crash happened just before 9:00 a.m., and Rosenwinkel said only employees were in the building.

"Usually at 8, we have some of the people come in and play cards and dominos with us. Nobody was here yet,” she said. “But yes the girls were in the kitchen. They were preparing lunches. We prepare lunches for about 200, 250 people."

Rosenwinkel said thankfully lunch was being prepared in their larger kitchen, not the small one where the car ended up. While the smaller kitchen is expected to take weeks to repair, employees do expect to be serving seniors again by Wednesday.

Pryor Creek Police Chief Jeremy Cantrell said firefighters pulled the woman to safety through a backdoor of her car.

"She was fine sitting in the vehicle, she was just trapped inside because the door would not open,” Cantrell said.

"She is one of our regulars,” Rosenwinkel said. “So ya, we're just still praying for her."

While clean-up and insurance claims continue, Rosenwinkel looks forward to welcoming seniors back later this week, so they can celebrate ahead of St. Patrick's Day.

"God was for sure watching out for us this morning,” Rosenwinkel said.