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Balcatta crash: Mayhem as elderly driver ploughs car into medical centre

Phil Hickey The West Australian
A car has crashed into the waiting room of a Balcatta medical centre.
Camera IconA car has crashed into the waiting room of a Balcatta medical centre. Credit: Unknown/Supplied

Witnesses have described the dramatic moment an elderly driver crashed his car through the front windows of a Perth medical centre, hitting a pregnant woman.

Incredibly no one was seriously injured in the crash.

The incident occurred at the Balcatta radiological clinic just after 10.30am when a Holden ute slammed into the front of the facility’s waiting area.

The elderly driver is being questioned by police.
Camera IconThe elderly driver is being questioned by police. Credit: Danella Bevis/The West Australian

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It’s believed the elderly male driver hit the wrong pedal in the vehicle.

He is now being questioned by police at the scene.

A pregnant woman in her 20s who was walking into the building was struck by the car and thrown into a hedge. She’s been taken to Royal Perth Hospital as a precaution.

A woman is taken to hospital via ambulance.
Camera IconA woman is taken to hospital via ambulance. Credit: Danella Bevis/The West Australian

Sandy Meikle, who works next door, said it was a miracle no one was killed or seriously injured.

“I’ve never heard a bang like it before,” she said.

“The people in there are extremely lucky.”

Witnesses reported hearing a loud bang and screaming.
Camera IconWitnesses reported hearing a loud bang and screaming. Credit: Danella Bevis/The West Australian

Security guard Ahmed Baydoun, who works at the facility, said there was screaming after the crash.

“Lucky for us the chairs got stuck in the wheels so it stopped the car from moving forward,” he said.

“It was mayhem, there were people screaming.

“But the staff were very effective. . .we started treating people that were on the floor and we tried to keep the room under control.”

A ute drove through a bollard, the front entrance and into the waiting room of the Perth Radiological Clinic in Balcatta.
Camera IconA ute drove through a bollard, the front entrance and into the waiting room of the Perth Radiological Clinic in Balcatta. Credit: Danella Bevis/The West Australian

It’s believed to be the third time a car has crashed into the building.

There is a major clean up operation now underway at the severely damaged building.

The car has been extracted from the waiting room and loaded onto the back of a tow truck.

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