Car hits packed Florida church, injuring 21

Driver tells police brakes failed while entering parking lot

FORT MYERS, Fla. – A car slammed into a packed Florida church during an Easter service on Sunday, injuring more than 20 people. 

According to Fort Myers police, nearly 200 people were at the Second Haitian Baptist when the driver of a Lexus plowed into the building around 8 p.m.

Some parishioners used jacks from their cars to manually lift the vehicle off several people trapped inside, police said.

"Some of them (were) really looking bad, so we did what we had to do to take care of them," witness Nicole Plancher explained.

Mary Briggs, of Lee Memorial Health System, says 18 people were taken to hospitals. She says none required surgery and one person was dismissed later Sunday.

The driver told investigators her brakes failed as she drove into the church parking lot.

The crash remains under investigation.


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