Wendy's Customer Dead After Car Crashes Through Restaurant's Front Door

An elderly driver crashed his vehicle into a Wendy's restaurant leaving at least one person dead and multiple injured, according to South Carolina police.

Lee County police raced to the fast-food outlet in 1340 Sumter Highway after the driver allegedly drove into the building at about 12:38 p.m. on Tuesday.

Sheriff Daniel Simon alleged an elderly man drove through the front doors of the building while a passenger was also in the vehicle.

According to the South Carolina Department of Public Safety, there have been 945 traffic fatalities in the state so far this year.

Legal firm Personal Injuries San Diego reported South Carolina had the second-highest per capita death rate in the country, with 20.6 automotive-related deaths per 100,000 citizens.

Only Mississippi was higher, with 22.3 automotive-related deaths per 100,000 citizens.

Lee County Coroner Larry Logan said Janie Kirkland, 70, of Hartsville, in South Carolina, was killed while she was at the fast-food outlet with her husband.

WIS 10 reported Kirkland was sitting down inside the Wendy's when her husband went to refill his drink.

While Kirland's husband stepped away, the elderly driver allegedly plowed into the Wendy's store and struck her.

The network reported Kirkland's autopsy is scheduled today (November 23) at 2 p.m. local time.

Photos shared online showed a car had managed to reach the counter, with furniture strewn across the restaurant floor.

The driver and passenger were said to have been uninjured in the crash. Victims were taken to nearby hospitals, where they were treated for their injuries.

An investigation has been launched by the Lee County Sheriff's Department (LCSD) and the South Carolina Highway Patrol (SCHP)

Newsweek has contacted the LCSD, the SCHP, Wendy's and the Lee County Coroner for comment.

In December 2020, a vehicle smashed through a Virginia Starbucks, leaving one person hospitalized.

Photos taken from the scene showed a white Ford Escape almost completely inside the coffee shop, surrounded by shattered glass and window frames.

Hampton Fire and Rescue officials called the incident a "technical rescue" in a statement. One person was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital.

When crews arrived, they found the car was inside the store and secured the scene in order to ensure the safety of the people inside.

It was unclear how many people were inside the Starbucks at the time of the crash.