Out-of-control car narrowly misses preschool

DeAnn Knowles stood on the lawn looking in amazement at the car that had barely missed crashing into her Busy Bees Preschool on Solano Street.

"I'm still in complete shock," Knowles said. "I am just so thankful that our children and workers are all safe. Everything else is replaceable."

The replaceable things Knowles was referring to are three trees and the business' large sign that had been mowed down by an out-of-control 2007 Dodge Charger on Monday around 5:30 p.m.

Corning police Sgt. Craig Bassett said the driver of the car, 18-year-old Anita Servin-Garcia, was traveling westbound on Solano Street approaching East Avenue when she, for unknown reasons, swerved to the left into oncoming traffic, then over-corrected as she swerved back into her own lane.

Garcia lost control of the car and drove across the north sidewalk and through the preschool's planter and across the front lawn parallel to the preschool building, said police.

During the vehicle's 80-foot off-road journey, it took out, along with the trees and sign, a city light pole and street sign, causing major damage to the Charger's front end.

According to Bassett, a witness of the incident estimated the vehicle was going approximately 45 mph when the crash occurred.

Both Garcia and her 16-year-old passenger appeared uninjured and declined medical treatment, police said.

Both had been wearing seat belts at the time of the crash and the vehicle's airbags did deploy, police said.