‘Shock and disbelief’: Driver mistakes accelerator for brake in Bridgetown, but no serious injuries

A Bridgetown business is in “shock and disbelief” after a driver who mistook their brake for their accelerator ploughed into the brick wall of the new office they had been busy renovating.

In a stroke of luck, no-one was in the building at the time and the driver escaped without any serious injuries.

The unfortunate accident came just days before the year’s end, leaving a gaping hole in the wall of the building on Bridgetown’s main business strip and requiring help from local State Emergency Service crews.

Shocking images show the Holden station wagon lodged in the side of the building, and the extent of the damage, with bricks and wooden beams littered across the ground and cracks up the internal walls.

Bridgetown Police say the December 29 incident occurred when the driver had not seen another vehicle and subsequently confused their brake with the accelerator and ran into the Hampton Street building.

The driver was the only occupant of the vehicle and did not receive any serious injuries.

It was an unwelcome end to 2022 for Blackwood Valley Real Estate, who moved just down the road from their former location to the impacted building on Tuesday.

The business put out a statement on Friday, thanking emergency services for their assistance with the incident.

“We are so very grateful that there was no-one in the office at the time,” it read.

“As you would have seen, during our renovations of the property there have been tradies and workers, including ourselves, within the building most days especially during this time of moving furniture in.

“We are also very thankful that the driver was not more seriously hurt.”

The business said it was in a “state of shock and disbelief”, and thanked the local community for their support.