Tenino, Washington – Police Chief Injured After Crashing into Restaurant

Tenino, Washington (April 8, 2020) – The police chief of the Tenino Police Department was injured after suffering from a medical emergency and crashing into the side of the Scotty B Restaurant on Sussex Avenue. According to the report from the Facebook account of the Tenino Police Department, Police Chief Robert Swain did not sustain serious injuries from the crash and has been taken to a local medical facility for treatment. However, no word was given regarding the chief’s condition. No other people were reported to have been injured in the incident.

According to the report, Chief Swain was driving a police cruiser when he experiences a medical emergency around 4:15 p.m on Wednesday afternoon. This caused his cruiser to crash into the south side of the restaurant’s building, causing moderate damage to the building and severe damage to the vehicle. The Washington State Patrol is conducting an investigation on the incident, but as of now there is no indication that drugs or alcohol are involved.

About Vehicle Accidents

From data gathered on car crashes into buildings, the cause was usually operator error or pedal error. For operator errors, drivers usually accelerated or were at high speeds, or were in the wrong gear. Pedal error means that drivers stepped on the gas when they meant to step on the brake. Other, smaller factors for crashing into buildings are situation-based, such as driving under influence, traffic accidents, weather conditions or medical emergencies. A very small percentage are for people who intentionally ram buildings to commit theft. From these causes, lack of control is a common feature.

Because of the crash site, the threat of injuries applies not only to the occupants of the car but also people inside the building. For drivers, there is also the risk of building materials falling into or piercing into the vehicle. Apart from human injuries, damage can also be done to either the car or the struck building, and in the case of the latter the building might have to be reviewed by engineers for safety. As always, we urge everyone to drive with caution and practice safe driving wherever you go. Doing so minimizes damage and injuries you can inflict not only on yourself, but on others as well. If you have however become a victim of a vehicle accident of any sort, we extend our sympathies and compassion.

[cta]