A woman, under the legal drinking age, was drunk when she caused a crash downtown Wednesday morning and the collision could have been much worse, police said.
“You know it happened so fast, just a big boom," said witness Robyn Perrella.
Perrella was stopped at the red light at the end of highway 94 around 5:30 a.m. when police say a drunk driver plowed into her vehicle going 64 miles per hour.
“The gal that was driving that car is 20 years of age. She was drunk and she failed to stop," Sgt. Jim Reschke.
“She swerved to try and not hit me but ended up hitting me anyway," said Perrella.
The out-of-control driver crashed into Perrella, hit a parked vehicle, a wall and a light pole.
"Then all I heard was her screaming sitting on the sidewalk hysterical," said Perrella.
She says just last week she witnessed a similar situation at the same intersection.
"I was at the stoplight and a girl came barreling off the freeway. Didn't hit me, hit somebody else," she said.
Skid marks show how dangerously close the driver came to several transients who were sleeping along the sidewalk Wednesday morning.
“I worry about these homeless people here because they're going to get run over one of these mornings. I mean we're talking a second accident in a little more than a week in the same spot," said Perrella.
"If they were sleeping here, definitely serious injuries if not death," Sgt. Reschke said.
The alleged drunk driver was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.
“Drinking and driving regardless of whether you're over 21 or under 21 is just stupid. Absolutely makes no sense. Now she's going to pay for it one way or the other," Sgt. Reschke said.
Police say the driver will be facing several charges, including DUI, and will likely have her driver's license suspended.
