Police ID driver who crashed into Hallmark
BUTLER TWP — Police have identified the driver who crashed into a Butler Commons' gift store Wednesday morning.
Roberta Capella, 67, of Butler apparently accelerated instead of braking shortly before 11:30 a.m. while attempting to park her Honda CR-V in front of David's Hallmark, said Butler Township police.
The sport utility vehicle jumped the curb, struck the front window and traveled into the store, leaving a debris field of broken glass, dismantled display racks and mangled merchandise.
An employee, Kaylee Rutkowski, 23, of Butler, was working on a display, but she was able to jump out of the way of the vehicle, police said. She suffered minor cuts to her hands from the shattered glass.
A Butler Ambulance Service crew tended to Rutkowski and Capella; however, neither was taken to the hospital. No other injuries were reported.
Firefighters from the Butler Township Volunteer Fire District swept up glass in front of the store and backed the vehicle out into the parking lot around noon.
A damage estimate was not immediately available. The store was closed to customers after the accident.
Owner Frank Betres, who could not be reached for comment, reportedly hopes to reopen over the weekend, but an employee acknowledged Thursday that projection could be overly optimistic.