ENFIELD, CT – A tragic accident unfolded on Hazard Avenue Saturday morning when an SUV veered off the road, striking a woman on the sidewalk and subsequently crashing into a local business. The incident, which occurred around 9:45 a.m., has left the community in shock.
Witnesses recounted a harrowing scene where a woman was standing near the edge of a crosswalk when a BMW SUV jumped the curb and hit her. The vehicle continued its path of destruction, plowing through a parking lot and into the Jug Shop Liquor Store.
The victim, identified as 57-year-old Kimberly Knowles, was rushed to the hospital but tragically succumbed to her injuries. The driver, a 36-year-old man, sustained only minor injuries, according to police reports.
Eyewitnesses described the chaos that ensued, with people rushing to assist both the victim and the driver. “It was total chaos,” said one bystander. “Liquor and broken glass were everywhere.”
Store owner Satish Panchal expressed his devastation over the loss of life, emphasizing that while financial losses from the crash are significant—estimated between $80,000 to $90,000—the human loss is irreplaceable.
As workers began boarding up the massive hole in the store’s facade, Panchal shared his hopes to reopen in the coming weeks, pending insurance processes. “Once my business is open, I can recover financially, but we can’t bring back the person we lost,” he said.
Police have yet to announce any arrests related to the incident, and the investigation is ongoing. Community members are urged to find alternate routes as traffic disruptions continue in the area.