Three people hospitalized after vehicle crashes into Las Vegas store

A Burlington Coat Factory employee was trapped between a wall and cash register area after a vehicle crashed into the southeast valley store Saturday afternoon.

The crash occurred at 4:36 p.m. at the Burlington Coat Factory on 4750 S. Eastern Ave., near Tropicana Avenue, where the blue Kia Sorento entered the store completely.

Police said the driver is a 61-year-old woman. She was parked in a handicap parking spot when she accelerated and turned into the building, Metropolitan Police Department Lt. Grant Rogers said.

Police believe the crash “was a complete accident” and wasn’t alcohol-related, Rogers said. The driver was cooperating with police and remained on the scene.

The employee was taken to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center’s trauma unit with nonlife-threatening injuries. Two other people were also taken to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center with nonlife-threatening injuries, Rogers said.

“Something like this happens a few times a year at random,” Rogers said. “An incident like this happens when people are parked in a close spot and forget which gear they’re in or hit the gas instead of the brake,” he said.

It is unknown how fast the woman was driving, Rogers said; the vehicle was not totaled.

Review-Journal Reporter Jessica Terrones contributed to this report. Contact Jessica Terrones at jterrones@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0381. Follow @JessATerrones on Twitter. Contact Rio Lacanlale at rlacanlale@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0381. Follow @riolacanlale on Twitter.