News

None injured in Walmart parking lot pileup involving 7 cars

None injured in Walmart parking lot pileup involving 7 cars

Photo: clipart.com


AUBURN, Maine (AP) An SUV accelerated through a Maine Walmart parking lot, hitting multiple vehicles and a shopping cart corral before coming to a stop with another SUV balanced on top of it.

The driver was an 83-year-old woman who Auburn Deputy Police Chief Timothy A. Cougle said seemed to have been trying to hit the brake and instead hit the gas pedal, the Lewiston Sun-Journal reported Monday.

“We believe it is a case of operator error. We will be talking to witnesses and reviewing parking lot video before any determination is made,” Cougle said.

No one, including the driver, was injured.

“She struck the shopping cart corral in the parking lot, pushed that across the lot. That made contact with some of those vehicles. We are still sorting all the details out, but there is a total of seven vehicles involved — two significantly damaged or totaled,” Cougle told the newspaper.

The woman who owns the SUV that was lifted into the air was shopping at the time it was hit.

“I’m still in shock,” Lonita Drakus, of Wales, told the newspaper.

Fire and rescue personnel responded to the crash, which is still under investigation. The Walmart was located in Auburn, Maine, about 33 miles (53 kilometers) north of Portland, Maine.

Latest Headlines

10 hours ago in Local

Maine Legislature Passes Bill to Study Costs of Climate Change

The bill passed mostly on party lines this week

11 hours ago in Local

Judge Gives DOJ Access to Maine Sports Rosters, But Not List of Transgender Athletes

The judge questioned the motivation of the federal request for information on transgender athletes.

15 hours ago in Local

Motorcyclist killed in 3-vehicle crash in Raymond

A motorcyclist was killed in a three-vehicle in crash in Raymond on Monday evening.

15 hours ago in Local

New data show most ICE detainees in Maine immigration sweep did not have criminal convictions

New data shows only a fraction of nearly 200 people arrested during January’s immigration enforcement surge in Maine had criminal convictions.

1 day ago in Local, National

A Build America, Buy America law is causing construction delays

It has a catchy name — Build America, Buy America — and the lauded goal of bringing manufacturing jobs back…