MORGAN HILL
–– A pregnant woman was seriously injured Thursday afternoon
when a 75-year-old woman drove her Honda into the Morgan Hill Post
Office, causing the front wall of the lobby to tumble down.
MORGAN HILL –– A pregnant woman was seriously injured Thursday afternoon when a 75-year-old woman drove her Honda into the Morgan Hill Post Office, causing the front wall of the lobby to tumble down.
Sabrina Dominguez’s legs were injured and “possibly broken,” Morgan Hill Police Lt. Joe Sampson said at the post office on Monterey Road.
Dominguez, 21, was taken by CALSTAR to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose. She is seven months pregnant. Hospital officials said federal law prohibited comment on condition of the fetus.
No other injuries were reported.
The 2:40 p.m. accident occurred as Eula Chipman, of Morgan Hill, was attempting to park the Honda in front of the post office, Sampson said, and apparently she stepped on the gas pedal instead of the brake.
There were several dozen customers and employees in the facility’s front service areas when the accident occurred, said Karen Bamberg, supervisor of customer services.
“We were extremely lucky. Often there are children running back and forth in that area,” Bamberg said. “It could have been much worse.”
Dominguez was in front of a stamp vending machine when the auto came hurtling through the glassed front of the building.
Bamberg said she heard the crash, followed by alarms from the stamp vending machine.
“I ran up and saw the front half of the car in the center of the office,” Bamberg added. “I called 911, and paramedics, police and fire were here almost immediately.”
Six MHPD vehicles with eight officers responded, Sampson said. They were just a short distance away, returning from SWAT training.
Vicki Pappas, bulk-mail clerk, was at the back of the facility when the crash occurred.
“I was looking in that direction, heard the noise and saw the car. The next thing I saw was the young lady go flying,” recalled Pappas, a Gilroy resident who retires today after 26 years on the job. “At first I thought she had gone through the windshield.”
The sound of an auto crashing into the post office is not new for Pappas. She’s had it happen three times, including once earlier this year.
Postal Clerk Debbie Aquino was with a customer when the accident occurred.
“I had my head down writing on a piece of mail. I jerked my head up when I heard the noise. The car was coming straight in. I saw smoke and the tires spinning,” Aquino said.
Dominguez had driven from the Morgan Hill home of her older sister, Angelique Ambriz, to mail a letter. Waiting for her in the car were Joshua Ambriz, 11, and a neighbor girl.
“I heard a big crash and saw the car in the window. I ran inside and saw my aunt on the floor,” Joshua told his mother.
Sampson said a police investigation into the incident is ongoing.
Workers and customers were evacuated through the rear of the damaged building without incident, Sampson said.
The post office was closed for the remainder of the day Thursday. Crews were busy into the night, cleaning up broken glass, carting away debris and boarding up windows.
The post office was expected to be fully open for business this morning, said Postmaster Darrell Stoke.
“We’ll start the day with having counseling available for any of our employees who may need it,” Stoke said.
A cost estimate of the damage was not available by press time.
