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Models that took “thousands of hours” to construct were destroyed, but product design and development company Studio Red is open for business at 115 Independence Drive in Menlo Park. The building’s lobby was the scene of a sudden intrusion of a car at around 7:20 p.m. Tuesday (Feb. 18).
The driver was a 51-year-old woman from San Bruno, according to Menlo Park police. She was uninjured and mistook the gas pedal for the brake pedal — while making a U-turn, Studio Red President Philip Bourgeois told the Almanac.
Menlo Park Police Department spokeswoman Nicole Acker confirmed Mr. Bourgeois’ account of the accident.
The building was unoccupied at the time of the crash, Mr. Bourgeois said.
Studio Red does custom work for industrial customers, and includes design, engineering and machining services. The destroyed models were of carts meant to hold surgical equipment; the cart models were made of metal and the equipment models of plastic, Mr. Bourgeois said.
“They exploded,” he said. “I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
The car drove through the lobby and into a conference room, on the way destroying several windows, several internal walls, and cabinets, Mr. Bourgeois said. The damage extended 60 feet down one hallway and, overall, is likely to run into tens of thousands of dollars, he said. “We’re attempting to do a very aggressive cleaning,” he said.
Mr. Bourgeois was at home in Woodside when he received an alert about the activation of the alarm in the Studio Red lobby. He called the Menlo Park police, went to the site, contacted a contractor and had the building boarded up and was home by 9:30 p.m., he said.
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A car crashed into the lobby of Menlo Park product design and development firm Studio Red around 7:20 p.m. Tuesday. The damage to the building at 115 Independence Drive is significant, particularly to several models in progress, but the company is open for business. (Photo by Philip Bourgeois) -
A car crashed into the lobby of Menlo Park product design and development firm Studio Red around 7:20 p.m. Tuesday. The damage to the building at 115 Independence Drive is significant, particularly to several models in progress, but the company is open for business. (Photo by Philip Bourgeois) -
The lobby of Studio Red after removal of a car that crashed into the Menlo Park product design and development firm around 7:20 p.m. Tuesday. The damage to the building at 115 Independence Drive is significant, particularly to several models in progress, but the company is open for business. (Photo by Philip Bourgeois)
Good thing that the driver was a “young woman” — no need for public outrage about the need to get middle-aged and older drivers off the road because they’re such a menace. Though I suppose someone couldu use this as an opportunity to ban women drivers, period.
I don’t think it has to do with young or old. The difference is that this driver didn’t injure anyone or have their lawyer make outrageous statements on their behalf.
Of course it is the building’s fault for recklessly getting in the way of the car.
I work next door and was there when it happened. It wasn’t a young woman driving it was a hispanic man in his 40’s.
I would also like to add that the man, in broken english, explained that the brakes failed.
This is all sorts of strange between what happened and what is being reported.
Re: what “Sarah” saw and heard.
Wow. That is quite a discrepancy between the Almanac Report and what you, as an eye-witness, report you observed.
Can someone clear this up?
Police have confirmed that the driver of the car in this incident was a woman.
She is 51 and a resident of San Bruno, spokeswoman Nicole Acker of the Menlo Park Police Department said.
If this thread proves anything, it’s that you should never trust “facts” presented from posters.
Thanks to “Sarah” for the accurate eye witness report. NOT.
Well, that’s more like it! All old people (50+) should have to relinquish their licenses immediately! Driving 60 feet through a building isn’t just a pedal mistake.