A scary incident occurred Wednesday when a vehicle made an unwelcome entrance into Tucker’s Play and Learn daycare center on Alabama Street.
The incident happened at around 5:15 p.m. when the driver of a white 1998 Mitsubishi Montero Sport LS crashed through the front window of the daycare building, located at 803 Alabama St. near the Ranch House Restaurant.
Police said no children were injured.
According to police, the incident happened when the driver of a green 1996 Ford Explorer hit the Mitsubishi from behind while the two were heading east on Alabama Street. The Mitsubishi then veered across the west-bound lane and into the parking lot of the daycare center before crashing into the building.
The drivers of each vehicle were transported to Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle with minor injuries. Miranda Latham, 28, of Columbus, was driving the Mitsubishi. Mariyn Johnson Butler, 44, of Columbus, was driving the Ford Explorer.
According to Columbus-resident Sammy Harris, who witnessed the incident, the Mitsubishi was on two wheels for a bit before clipping a corner of the building sticking out toward the street, and it finished on four wheels and crashed through the window.
Mary Richards, an employee of the daycare, was on scene when the crash happened and said there were children inside but fortunately they were not anywhere near where the vehicle crashed.
“I was coming from out of the baby room and I thought the roof was caving in,” she said.
“All the kids panicked.”
Richards said there were around 10 children at the daycare when the incident occurred.
Stacy Doss, another employee at the daycare, said the children were immediately taken out of the building and into the back yard.
Laretta Tucker, daycare owner, said the room the vehicle crashed through is for 2-year-olds, and the daycare has children ranging from 2 months old to 5 years old.
The daycare is open for business today.
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Related Photos
Officer Oscar Lewis is first on the scene and meets Tucker’s Play & Learn’s Assistant Director, Earline Stubbe. Photo by: Luisa Porter/Dispatch Staff
NULL Photo by: Luisa Porter/Dispatch Staff
NULL Photo by: Luisa Porter/Dispatch Staff
NULL Photo by: Luisa Porter/Dispatch Staff
NULL Photo by: Luisa Porter/Dispatch Staff
