Shocking incident: Car crashes into a Coles store, leaving two hospitalised

It's harrowing to think that, while we're out and about doing our shopping, our safety could be jeopardised—especially if an incident like the one that recently happened in a Coles store occurs.


On Tuesday, September 19, around 12:30 p.m., a Toyota Corolla crashed through the front entrance of Coles on Fox Street in Ballina, New South Wales.

It went straight through the store and stopped just before hitting the supermarket's aisles.


20230920_082006_0000.png
A Toyota Corolla crashed through a Coles store in Ballina, New South Wales. Credit: Ballina Information Exchange/Facebook


Not only was this shocking for customers to witness, but the incident proved dangerous for everyone inside the store.

According to the police, a woman in her 30s was allegedly struck by the car and had to be treated by paramedics at the scene of the accident before being taken to hospital for minor injuries.


The woman, presumed to be in her 70s, who was suspected to be driving the car at the time was also taken to hospital after suffering from shock and minor injuries.

Her male passenger was also unhurt in the incident. Thankfully, no other serious injuries were reported.

Pictures from the scene depict the destruction caused by the car; displays are trampled, gates knocked out of place, and a trail of broken items followed its path.

The photos garnered the interest of social media users, with one person writing, ‘Wow. Hope everyone involved is ok.’

‘Must’ve been at fairly high speed,’ another person shared.


‘That's in quite deep... mind-blowing,’ a third person stated.

A fourth user left a suggestion, saying: ‘Unfortunately, this was inevitable. Shopping Centres that allow cars to park nose in to forward the shops is an accident waiting to happen (now as we’ve seen). This type of parking is from the IGA along to Coles in Ballina. Please consider the shoppers' safety and put bollards or something similar in place, or don’t take those parks away.’

The store has since been closed until further notice.

A Coles spokesperson said following the incident: 'The safety of our customers and team members is always our highest priority. Our thoughts are with our customers who were involved in today’s events, and we are working closely with emergency services who are investigating the incident.’


‘We extend our appreciation to emergency services for their response and for ensuring our customers receive prompt medical attention and care. We are providing counselling and support to our team members who witnessed the incident,' they added.

Key Takeaways
  • Two people were rushed to hospital after a car crashed through the front of a Coles supermarket in Ballina, New South Wales.
  • The car allegedly struck a woman inside the supermarket, who was treated for minor injuries.
  • The elderly woman driving the vehicle was also hospitalised for shock and minor injuries.
  • Coles has announced the store will be temporarily closed and is providing counselling and support to their team members who witnessed the incident.

It goes without saying that these types of unexpected events are very disconcerting as it can be difficult to cope in the face of unexpected danger.

Our advice is that you stay alert and be aware of your surroundings while out shopping, and if there’s ever an emergency, we urge you to act quickly and follow the instructions of staff and authorities. Stay safe, members!

What do you think of this story? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
 
Sponsored
It's harrowing to think that, while we're out and about doing our shopping, our safety could be jeopardised—especially if an incident like the one that recently happened in a Coles store occurs.


On Tuesday, September 19, around 12:30 p.m., a Toyota Corolla crashed through the front entrance of Coles on Fox Street in Ballina, New South Wales.

It went straight through the store and stopped just before hitting the supermarket's aisles.


View attachment 30340
A Toyota Corolla crashed through a Coles store in Ballina, New South Wales. Credit: Ballina Information Exchange/Facebook


Not only was this shocking for customers to witness, but the incident proved dangerous for everyone inside the store.

According to the police, a woman in her 30s was allegedly struck by the car and had to be treated by paramedics at the scene of the accident before being taken to hospital for minor injuries.


The woman, presumed to be in her 70s, who was suspected to be driving the car at the time was also taken to hospital after suffering from shock and minor injuries.

Her male passenger was also unhurt in the incident. Thankfully, no other serious injuries were reported.

Pictures from the scene depict the destruction caused by the car; displays are trampled, gates knocked out of place, and a trail of broken items followed its path.

The photos garnered the interest of social media users, with one person writing, ‘Wow. Hope everyone involved is ok.’

‘Must’ve been at fairly high speed,’ another person shared.


‘That's in quite deep... mind-blowing,’ a third person stated.

A fourth user left a suggestion, saying: ‘Unfortunately, this was inevitable. Shopping Centres that allow cars to park nose in to forward the shops is an accident waiting to happen (now as we’ve seen). This type of parking is from the IGA along to Coles in Ballina. Please consider the shoppers' safety and put bollards or something similar in place, or don’t take those parks away.’

The store has since been closed until further notice.

A Coles spokesperson said following the incident: 'The safety of our customers and team members is always our highest priority. Our thoughts are with our customers who were involved in today’s events, and we are working closely with emergency services who are investigating the incident.’


‘We extend our appreciation to emergency services for their response and for ensuring our customers receive prompt medical attention and care. We are providing counselling and support to our team members who witnessed the incident,' they added.

Key Takeaways

  • Two people were rushed to hospital after a car crashed through the front of a Coles supermarket in Ballina, New South Wales.
  • The car allegedly struck a woman inside the supermarket, who was treated for minor injuries.
  • The elderly woman driving the vehicle was also hospitalised for shock and minor injuries.
  • Coles has announced the store will be temporarily closed and is providing counselling and support to their team members who witnessed the incident.

It goes without saying that these types of unexpected events are very disconcerting as it can be difficult to cope in the face of unexpected danger.

Our advice is that you stay alert and be aware of your surroundings while out shopping, and if there’s ever an emergency, we urge you to act quickly and follow the instructions of staff and authorities. Stay safe, members!

What do you think of this story? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
WOW!! A DRIVE THRU COLES! LOL.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: Veggiepatch
I was joking before.... but really that is some nasty thing to happen.
 
So many times you see this, people putting their car into drive, instead of reverse or putting their foot on the wrong peddle.
The problem is not in the driving it is in the manufacture of the smaller budget vehicle where size has been compromised, The accelerator/brake/clutch pedals are so close together in the tighter footwell that it is easy to hit the incorrect pedal - accelerator instead of the brake etc. About time NRMA et al began to investigate the safety aspects of small vehicles.
 
The problem is not in the driving it is in the manufacture of the smaller budget vehicle where size has been compromised, The accelerator/brake/clutch pedals are so close together in the tighter footwell that it is easy to hit the incorrect pedal - accelerator instead of the brake etc. About time NRMA et al began to investigate the safety aspects of small vehicles.
I feel that would be the responsibility of the Australian Design Rules mob under the ADR Rule 43 - Vehicle Configuration & Dimensions. I can't access the details due to the message "This site can’t provide a secure connection. www.legislation.gov.au uses an unsupported protocol."

Sorry!
 
Last edited:
This wouldn't be the first time l have heard of a person driving an automatic car hitting the accelerator instead of the brake, especially prior to a red traffic light ( go instead of stop ). One such case was a Valiant Charger, a big vehicle.
Not that l am saying this was the cause of this incident.
 
Wonder if she thought direct to boot meant drive into supermarket and hopefully the groceries you want will fall into your boot as you demolish the shelves. Or maybe she was really practising to be a “gangster granny”. Thankfully no one was seriously hurt, cars, shops and other items are replaceable, people aren’t.
 
Nah just an uneducated, ignorant person who likes to criticise others I pity these kind of people that stoop so.low
I think you call it humour not rudeness . I've seen rudness on here and thank goodness they are nolonger on here .

Sometimes opions come across rude but as long as that rudeness isn't directed to one individual.

I think different options is what makes these post interesting.
It's just everyone's own opion
 
  • Like
Reactions: IAN3005
My daughter was a teacher in a Sydney school and a mother was told a few times she wasn't aloud to drive into the school.

This mother was constantly late taking her boys to school and would drive in. The school ended up locking those gates but one day they were opened due to work men and again this mother was late and saw the gates open so drove in.
Next thing she drove straight into the demountable classroom , killing 2 boys eight and nine year old and injuring others
This happened around 6 years ago.
She said her foot accidentally went on the accelerater rather than the brake ( work that one out )
Then she said she bent down to pick something up a water bottle and her foot went on the accelerater.
Apparently someone saw her talking on the phone.

Whatever scenario it was they were all wrong .
She got 400 hours community service
Thank goodness my daughter was on maternity leave , her classroom was next door and she would have been one of those first on the scene and it was a sight that people could not get over , infact those people nolonger teach there .
 
I think you call it humour not rudeness . I've seen rudness on here and thank goodness they are nolonger on here .

Sometimes opions come across rude but as long as that rudeness isn't directed to one individual.

I think different options is what makes these post interesting.
It's just everyone's own opion
Actually rudeness is attacking the person...not the post...great for everyone to have an opinion..but not attacking others.
 

Join the conversation

News, deals, games, and bargains for Aussies over 60. From everyday expenses like groceries and eating out, to electronics, fashion and travel, the club is all about helping you make your money go further.

Seniors Discount Club

The SDC searches for the best deals, discounts, and bargains for Aussies over 60. From everyday expenses like groceries and eating out, to electronics, fashion and travel, the club is all about helping you make your money go further.
  1. New members
  2. Jokes & fun
  3. Photography
  4. Nostalgia / Yesterday's Australia
  5. Food and Lifestyle
  6. Money Saving Hacks
  7. Offtopic / Everything else

Latest Articles

  • We believe that retirement should be a time to relax and enjoy life, not worry about money. That's why we're here to help our members make the most of their retirement years. If you're over 60 and looking for ways to save money, connect with others, and have a laugh, we’d love to have you aboard.
  • Advertise with us

User Menu

Enjoyed Reading our Story?

  • Share this forum to your loved ones.
Change Weather Postcode×
Change Petrol Postcode×