Driver Crashes Into Neighborhood 7-Eleven

An unlicensed 21-year-old driver crashed through the window of the 7-Eleven on El Camino Real and Ponderosa Road at 11:35am on Friday, shattering glass throughout the store and injuring a customer, according to police.

“I stepped back,” said employee Lucy Villanueva, who was working behind the counter just feet from where she said a red Ford Mustang crashed through.

Sgt. Joni Lee said the driver was in his car in the parking lot and mistakenly took his foot off the brake while searching for a cigarette. He rolled slowly forward, then collided with the building.

On Monday afternoon, wooden planks covered the open spaces that are normally filled by two large picture windows. Villanueva said that two employees and six or seven customers were in the store at the time the driver made his unexpected appearance.

This isn’t the first—or even the second—time a driver has crashed through the wall into this 7-Eleven.

Villanueva has been on the job for 30 years, and said that drivers have plowed in twice before. The previous two times, the drivers were older women, she said. Each time, she’s been standing in the same spot behind the counter.

“Usually they say the third time is the charm,” Villanueva said. “I hope that’s it.”

South San Francisco police officers ticketed the driver for being unlicensed. The injured customer was taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure.