A woman received minor injuries after driving her car into a cement pole in the Katzen Garage at 1:25 p.m. Tuesday.
Medics transported the woman, who was not affiliated with AU, to the hospital, according to a Department of Public Safety report.
She attempted to exit the garage through its entrance and swerved to avoid oncoming traffic, hitting the pole, according to Public Safety Lt. Dale Booth.
Her airbag deployed, which decreased the force of the impact, said a Second District Metropolitan Police Department officer who declined to be identified.
The pole appeared undamaged, but the woman’s Lexus ES 330 was towed from the scene. “A substantial amount of damage was sustained by the vehicle,” the MPD officer said.
The front of the car hit the pole between the driver and front passenger seats, visibly damaging the car’s grille, hood, fender, bumper and front lights.
Elena and Reinhold Puetz witnessed the accident.
“We just saw her crash,” Elena Puetz said.
Reinhold Puetz said the woman was driving in the wrong direction in Katzen’s one-way garage, which he believes isn’t labeled clearly enough.
“They should put big signs over there: ‘DO NOT ENTER,’” he said.
Elena Puetz said that besides the arrow painted on the floor of the garage, there is little indication to drivers that the garage is one-way.
“Nothing is on the wall,” she said. “Nothing indicates that they should not come.”
Staff writer Leigh Giangreco contributed to this report.
llandau@theeagleonline.com
