Wailuku, HI : Customer crashes car into Hamai showroom on Saturday, February 4th 2017

By luck or chance, Hamai Appliance’s showroom was nearly vacant when a woman crashed her Toyota sedan through the store’s front glass door at 12:15 p.m. Saturday, said Clyde Hamai, the store owner and president.

A saleswoman was alone in the Kahului showroom, working at a desk, when she saw the vehicle smash in, he said.

“She jumped out of her seat and moved to the side,” he said.

Still, the Kahului resident was pinned among desks and suffered fractured fingers and bruised legs, Hamai said.

“She’s OK,” he said Saturday evening.

“It’s fortunate there were no major bodily injuries to the driver, my employees or any customers,” he said.

Hamai, his wife and other employees were in the building but not in the showroom, he said.

Hamai had finished lunch and was washing his dishes when he heard a loud crash. He rushed to the showroom to see that a “whole car got in my store.” Desks were pushed about 10 yards into the store.

“Everything was a mess,” he added.

Normally, there would be five people sitting at desks in the office area, he said. And, just 15 minutes earlier, the showroom was bustling with customers.

Hamai said he wasn’t sure why the driver, an elderly woman and faithful customer, crashed into the store, but he speculated that “maybe she thought she was hitting the brakes and hit the gas.”

“There were skid marks in the store,” he said.

The crash was captured on surveillance cameras, he added.

Damaged merchandise included Subzero, a high-end refrigeration appliance; a dishwasher display; and desks and chairs.

Hamai said he knows the driver, an Olinda resident, well.

“She’s a very good customer,” he said. “She came into the store to ask directions to Hoohana Street.”

Firefighters, police, paramedics and a tow truck responded to the scene.

Repairs began quickly, with Arisumi Brothers Inc. boarding up the store entrance and providing a temporary door until glass repairs can be made Monday, Hamai said.

Source :
Customer crashes car into Hamai showroom