SUV plows into Catholic school classroom after brakes fail, Louisiana officials say
Classes at a Catholic school in southeast Louisiana were canceled for the day after officials say a SUV accidentally drove into the building.
The crash occurred early Monday, Jan. 10, at Pope John Paul II Catholic High School in Slidell, according to WWL-TV.
Photos posted by the St. Tammany Fire Protection District No. 1 on Facebook show a large BMW SUV lodged in the side of the building.
The impact left behind a gaping hole and debris from the wall and ceiling, photos show.
“It is a huge blessing that no one was on campus,” Head of School Kimberlie Kilroy told WWL-TV. “Luckily, because we put (weight) lift racks there, that is what stopped the momentum of the vehicle going further into the building.”
Kilroy said the driver, who wasn’t publicly identified, told authorities that the SUV’s brakes failed as they were trying to park, according to WVUE. That sent the vehicle careening into an old conference room Kilroy said was repurposed as a weight room for student athletes.
“The damage is serious, but it could have been worse,” Kilroy said, WVUE reported.
The driver of the vehicle was not injured, according to the fire protection district.
Classes are expected to resume Tuesday, Jan. 11.
This story was originally published January 10, 2022 at 1:02 PM with the headline "SUV plows into Catholic school classroom after brakes fail, Louisiana officials say."