Sweatt and Pedley Family Healthcare closed Monday afternoon after a vehicle crashed into the building, located in the 2700 block of Breckenridge Street.
Owensboro Fire Department Battalion Chief Steve Leonard said there were no injuries, but that OFD placed shores inside the building to ensure it didn’t collapse while removing the vehicle.
When a building is in possible danger of collapsing, wooden or metal props can be used to temporarily support a structure, Leonard said.
“That’s typical — they’re used to stabilize the building,” he said. “It’s a precautionary measure we take. We have to inspect the building for load-bearing walls. When you start removing stuff, sometimes the car is the only thing holding the building up.”
Pictures posted by the healthcare facility show a red vehicle had hit the brick building, shattering windows and causing the exterior of the building to invert with the force of the crash.
In this case, Leonard does not believe the building is in danger of collapsing.
Owensboro Police Department Public Information Officer Andrew Boggess said the driver, Laurie Dill, 55, of Owensboro drove her 2012 Toyota Camry into the building after her foot slipped off the break while attempting to park.
“We do not suspect the driver was impaired at the time of the accident,” he said.
A Facebook post made by Sweatt and Pedley said the family healthcare facility will not be open on Tuesday.
“Our phones will be on as usual. Sorry for any inconvenience,” the post stated. “We will keep everyone updated if we have any further changes. Thank you for being patient.”
Owensboro Police Department has not yet revealed what caused the crash.
All calls made to Sweatt and Pedley Family Healthcare are currently being forward to Owensboro Health’s answering service.
