According to media reports of the incident, Cindy Carey, 29, was stopped in front of the store window with her engine running when she dropped her cell phone. While reaching down for the phone Carey somehow hit the accelerator and crashed her vehicle through the store front. Some customers inside the store were slightly injured in the crash. Carey was reportedly unharmed.
The store reportedly suffered thousands of dollars in property damage because of the crash.
Adding to the embarrassment if driving her vehicle through the front on window of the store and ruining the ‘holiday spirit’ for lots of folks, Carey is also being charged with lots of things, including driving without a license, criminal mischief, possession of a controlled substance, assault and using a cell phone while driving. These charges are going to result in lots of fines, fees and points added to her license. She also has the possibility of serving jail time and losing her driving privileges altogether.
Distracted driving is one thing, but allowing that distraction to cause you to lose control of your vehicle and crash into a stationary object (like a store front window) is clear evidence that it is a very dangerous driving tactic. New York has a law against driving a vehicle while using a cell phone, and whether you are actively talking while driving, or allow your use of the phone to cause you to lose control of your vehicle while stationary, you are still in defiance of the law.
Do yourself and everyone sharing the road with you, a favor and lock your cell phone in the glove box.