Car hits building on Washington square

WASHINGTON — A van with Keokuk County plates jumped the curb and took out a light post before abruptly halting as it collided with Taste of China’s front door in Washington Tuesday, just a few minutes before noon.

Within minutes, emergency responders and people along the street flocked outside to investigate the startling noise.

“We heard a big crash, I mean, it sounded bad,” said Angie Wyrick, who was in the Elliot Realty office a few doors down from the accident. “So we came out here and saw the lamp and everything.”

One person was loaded into a Washington County ambulance on a stretcher and driven from the area around 12:15 p.m. Washington Fire Chief Brendan DeLong, who was among several firefighters on the scene, said there were no other injuries from the crash.

Taste of China’s website says the establishment is open by noon on Tuesdays, but it was not immediately clear how many people were inside at the time of the accident.

One woman, who said she was nearby when the crash happened, said the driver claimed to have “hit the gas instead of the brakes.”

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com