2 people seriously hurt when car slams through store in University City, officials say

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Two people were seriously hurt when a car slammed through a store in University City Sunday afternoon, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said.

Officials said the car crashed through Good Feet before ending up in the Rack Room Shoes on Ikea Boulevard just before 5 p.m.

Witnesses told Channel 9 that several customers were in the store at the time of the crash.

MEDIC said one person had serious injuries and another person had life-threatening injuries. Both were taken to Atrium Health’s Carolinas Medical Center.

A third person was taken to a nearby hospital with minor injuries.

“People were scared. People were running around. It was just chaos. It happened out of nowhere. It was just scary, very scary," said witness Oscar Luna.

Channel 9′s Erin Edwards was at the scene and she said the area was really busy as people were out shopping when the crash happened.

The driver told police he just remembers coughing and then waking up in the store. He is not facing any charges at this time.

Another witness, John Stokes, said he and others jumped on the car to help get a woman out who was pinned between the car and a wall. He said a granite shelf was holding her down.

“I went in to see if I could help, and it was then I noticed a person pinned on top of that vehicle underneath the wall,” said Stokes.

He said as he was trying to help that woman, he noticed a man was still stuck in the car.

“Their doors were stuck by the walls of the building, and we could hear him banging on the roof, wanting to get out," said Stokes.

By the time they got the woman out, Stokes said authorities had arrived at the scene to get the man out of the car.

The woman Stokes helped, Jaliyah Marshall, was released from the hospital Wednesday and spoke with Channel 9′s Erin Edwards about the terrifying incident.

“I was just talking to somebody and now, all of a sudden, I’m between the walls pinned down on a car,” Marshall said. “I was between the walls into the next store on top of a car with a granite counter top on top of me.”

Pedestrian hit by car at same intersection where man was killed last week Pedestrian hit by car at same intersection where man was killed last week

Marshall said she remembers Stokes helping her and lifting the granite counter top off her.

“Really, I don’t know how it didn’t go through me, but somehow it went up and pinned me down to the car,” Marshall said. “The guy came and was talking to me and just lifted it off of me. I was really grateful for John I think he was Heaven sent honestly."

Marshall shattered her ankle and broke her leg. She had surgery on Monday and was released from the hospital on Christmas morning.

“I just don’t know how I didn’t get hurt anymore really. It could have been worse, I really could have died so it was very scary,” Marshall said. “I was just praying ‘God, just let my daughter be OK.’ I’m just really thankful I’m with my family and alive. I could have not been here you know.”

Marshall’s sister made a GoFundMe page for her since she will not be able to walk or work for several months.

Check back with wsoctv.com for updates on this ongoing investigation.

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