A pregnant 21-year-old San Jose woman was seriously injured
Thursday afternoon when a Honda driven by 75-year-old Eula Chipman
of Morgan Hill crashed through the front wall of the Morgan Hill
Post Office on Monterey Road, bringing the front wall of the lobby
tumbling down.
A pregnant 21-year-old San Jose woman was seriously injured Thursday afternoon when a Honda driven by 75-year-old Eula Chipman of Morgan Hill crashed through the front wall of the Morgan Hill Post Office on Monterey Road, bringing the front wall of the lobby tumbling down.
Sabrina Dominguez appeared to have injuries to both legs, according to Morgan Hill Police Lt. Joe Sampson.
“Possibly broken,” Sampson said from the post office.
Dominguez was taken by CalStar to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose. VMC officials said federal law prohibited comment on condition of the fetus.
No other injuries were reported. There were several dozen customers and employees in the facility’s front service areas when the accident occurred, said Karen Bamberg, supervisor of customer services.
Dominguez was in front of a stamp vending machine when the auto came hurtling through the heavily glassed front of the building.
“We were extremely lucky. Often there are children running back and forth in that area,” said Bamberg. “It could have been much worse.”
Bamberg, a San Jose resident, said she heard the crash and then the stamp vending machine alarms started going off.
“I ran up and saw the front half of the car in the center of the office,” Bamberg added. “I called 9-1-1, and paramedics, police and fire were here almost immediately.”
Six MHPD vehicles with eight officers responded, Sampson said, as they were just a short distance away, returning from SWAT training.
Vicki Pappas, bulk mail clerk, was at the back of the facility when the crash occurred.
“I was looking in that direction, heard the noise and saw the car. The next thing I saw was the young lady go flying,” recalled Pappas, a Gilroy resident who retires today after 26 years on the job. “At first I thought she had gone through the windshield.”
The sound of an auto crashing into the post office is not new for Pappas. She’s had it happen three times, including once earlier this year.
Postal Clerk Debbie Aquino of Hollister was with a customer when the accident occurred.
“I had my head down writing on a piece of mail. I jerked my head up when I heard the noise. The car was coming straight in. I saw smoke and the tires spinning,” Aquino said.
The 2:40 p.m. accident occurred as Chipman was attempting to park the Honda in front of the Post Office, Sampson said, and apparently stepped on the gas pedal instead of the brake. He said an investigation into the incident is ongoing.
Dominguez had driven from the Morgan Hill home of her older sister, Angelique Ambriz, to mail a letter. With her in the car were Joshua Ambriz, 11, and a neighbor girl.
“I heard a big crash and saw the car in the window. I ran inside and saw my aunt on the floor,” Joshua told his mother.
Crews were busy into the night at the facility at 16600 Monterey Road cleaning up broken glass, carting away debris and boarding up windows.
The post office was expected to be fully open for business this morning, said Postmaster Darrell Stoke. The post office was closed for the remainder of the day Thursday.
“We’ll start the day with having counseling available for any of our employees who may need it,” Stoke said.
Workers and customers were evacuated through the rear of the damaged building without incident, Sampson said.
No cost estimate of the damage was available at this time.
