Woman Blames Shoe Malfunction For Plowing Car Into Business
SHERMAN OAKS (CBS) — A woman drove her car into a popular Sherman Oaks clothing store Monday after she said her sandals got caught up in the accelerator.
The woman drove her red Jaguar sedan into Dr. Blue Jeanns at 4454 Van Nuys Blvd., near Moorpark Street, at 4:38 p.m., according to the Los Angeles Fire Department's Brian Humphrey.
Ellie Demartoff said she was driving the car when her sandals started coming off and she couldn't stop the car from accelerating.
"The store was closed, thank God," she said. "I've been driving since I was 18 and I have never had an accident. I've never had a ticket."
The store repairs and makes alterations on denim apparel and sells jeans and T-shirts. It was closed at the time of the crash.
This was the second time in three years a car had smashed into the business, according to the store's owner.
The owner said the car smashed into the front area. Fortunately, all his machinery was in the back area and was "intact and in good condition." He said he would open for business Tuesday after cleaning up the front area.
The store is normally closed on Monday.
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