Tuesday’s vehicle crash through the façade of the Savers store on north Main Street in Las Cruces has resulted in the death of one person and injuries to 14 others who were inside the structure.
Source: City of Las Cruces
Shortly before 10 a.m. Tuesday, April 30, Las Cruces police, fire and other first responders were dispatched to the crash that injured 15 people who were inside the Savers store, 2340 N. Main St. Investigators learned a 2015 Ford Explorer crashed through the glass and aluminum façade near the self-checkout area and veered right as it passed through the store.
The vehicle came to a rest near the southeast corner of the store’s showroom. The 69-year-old driver of the Explorer, the only occupant of the vehicle, escaped physical injury.
First-arriving crews tended to the injured and Las Cruces fire personnel established triage at a casualty collection point outside the store.
Of the 15 who were injured, 10 were transported to local medical facilities. One of those who was transported to a hospital, 67-year-old Pamela Kaye Nelson, succumbed to her injuries. Five of the injured were assessed on scene by fire personnel and refused transportation to medical facilities.
Based on the number of injured, Las Cruces fire requested mutual aid from Dona Ana County Fire Rescue, Mesilla Fire Department and American Medical Response. Those entities, along with the Las Cruces Fire Department’s Fire Rescue units, assisted with treatment and transportation of the injured. The injured were transported to MountainView Regional Medical Center, Memorial Medical Center, Three Crosses Regional Hospital and the MountainView Emergency Center on north Main Street.
Ages of the injured range from approximately 30 years to 90 years. Two of the injured were employees of Savers while 13 were customers. Police later learned the driver of the Ford Explorer went to a local hospital on her own accord.
Specific information on those who were injured is not available at this time. Names of the driver and others who were injured will not be released at this time.
Preliminary information from the investigation indicates the 69-year-old driver of the Ford Explorer mistakenly pressed on the accelerator instead of the brake as she pulled into a parking space in front of the store. The vehicle jumped the curb and crashed through the façade.
The investigation is still ongoing.
Access to the parking lot immediately in front of the Savers store will temporarily be blocked while the investigation is ongoing. The store is closed for the time being.
