Wrongful death lawsuit filed in HEB crash

HOUSTON (FOX 26) - The family of a woman who died after a car crashed through a grocery store has filed a wrongful death lawsuit.

"You would think a bomb went off at first," said customer Fred Davis.

But what shattered the front door and sent shockwaves through the HEB at Woodridge and the Gulf freeway wasn't a bomb.

It was a 74-year-old woman who was leaving a handicapped spot in the parking lot.

"Put her grey SUV in reverse and for unknown reasons accelerated rapidly in reverse, said Keyes Smith spokesperson for HPD.

Police say the SUV jumped the curb and crashed into the store in reverse.

A 31-year-old woman who was in the store with her 2-year-old daughter and sister is the victim who died..

"We had two HEB employees who were injured and treated at the scene," Smith said.

HEB customer Isabel Meneses was in the parking lot and said she was afraid the fast moving vehicle was going to hit her van.

"In the beginning yes I said oh Lord," Meneses said. "I guess my Lord heard me because right away she went the other way."

Five people were rushed to hospitals.

Needless to say it was a shocking trip to the grocery for customers who witnessed the mayhem.

"To tell you the truth I'm thinking some guys were coming to rob the store and they're coming straight through the door and it's probably best to run out the back," Davis said.

Police say the 74-year-old driver didn't appear to be intoxicated and was cooperating with investigators.

While the probe into the deadly crash continues police say this could be nothing more than a freak accident.