Van Crashes into Westchase Furniture Store

The was damaged Tuesday evening when a man driving a mini van crashed into the front of the building.

Upon impact the gold Honda mini van caused the awning on the building to crumple. The front entrance of the Gallery at Westchase was shattered. The store is located at 12231 W. Linebaugh Ave.

There crash happened around 5:30 p.m. No injuries were reported. Furniture at the front of the store was pushed further into the building by the impact and a Santa Claus statue that had been located outside the store was inside the entrance after the crash.

Gallery owner was visibly shaken after the crash. She had been standing in the front of the store when the van came crashing into the store.

"I saw the car moving," said Kelly Tutt, Nancy's husband and the store's co-owner. "When I heard it, I knew where it was coming from.

"We're just glad nobody was hurt," Tutt said.

The driver of the van was not identified. Since the crash occurred on private property, no charges were filed against the driver, said Hillsborough County Sheriff Deputy R. Gogolin.

The driver was parking in front of the store when he pushed down on the accelerator instead of the brakes.