One seriously injured in auto mishap on Longboat Key

A crash that sent a sedan into a storefront on Bay Isles Parkway on Wednesday afternoon resulted in three injuries, one of them serious, Longboat Key authorities said.

One person was taken to Sarasota Memorial Hospital initially as a trauma alert, but a spokesperson for Longboat Key Fire-Rescue said the victim had been released from hospital care by Thursday. The other two victims were checked by paramedics at the scene but were not taken to the hospital.

Courtesy image

The crash, reported at 3:44 p.m. Dec. 21 at the CVS store at 505 Bay Isles Parkway, resulted in damage to the front of the store, which was inspected by town building officials. 

In a preliminary crash report prepared by Longboat Key police, the driver of the 2014 Lexus sedan told an investigating officer that he mistook the brake for the accelerator. As the vehicle accelerated from the parking lot, it first in struck a disabled-parking sign pole, then went through the store's glass doors. 

The seriously injured victim was struck, and a second person dodged the vehicle and received minor injuries. The driver was examined by paramedics, as well.

The 86-year-old driver was issued a citation for careless driving with a medical review of his driving license pending. 

The store reopened for business Thursday afternoon. Damage to the store was preliminarily estimated at $80,000. Damage to the car was estimated at $10,000.