Woman Crashes Into Plaza After Brakes Fail

A Fayetteville, North Carolina woman crashed into a plaza on Dec. 23 before 9 a.m. after an issue with her car’s brakes, reports say.

Odette Havel, 65, was driving her Honda Accord and attempting to pull into a parking space, when she lost control of her vehicle and crashed into a laboratory, according to police.

She told officers that she tried to apply the brake, but she wasn’t sure if it didn’t work or she just missed the brake pedal, police said.

Havel has a prosthetic leg, but it is unknown if that played into the crash.

Ricky Hogg, area manager for probation parole, said they heard a loud commotion and went outside.

“The officer that is actually in that office hadn’t arrived to work yet thankfully,” he said. “Several employees of course heard what happened, they came running, came out and assisted the lady out of her vehicle.”

She was taken to a local hospital with minor neck pain, police said.

No citations were issued, and the woman was not intoxicated at the time of the crash, according to police.