A motorist crashed March 5 into the Ocean Park Terrace condos, 2700 Gulf Drive, Bradenton Beach, prompting an evacuation of the building and injuring the driver.
On exiting Anna Maria Island Club, 2600 Gulf Drive, the motorist hit the gas pedal instead of the brake, propelling the vehicle into the condo building, damaging an arched support at the base of the ground-floor parking garage.
Bradenton Beach building official Darin Cushing ordered the building evacuated for safety purposes as the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, West Manatee Fire Rescue, Manatee County Emergency Medical Services and Bradenton Beach Police Department responded.
The driver sustained minor injuries but no one in the building was injured, according to an MCSO report.
The evacuation order lasted a few hours while the building was inspected and the archway was braced.
Property manager Dan Talley said the structural integrity of the building was assessed by engineer Charles Sago and Cushing approved temporary repairs.
— Robert Anderson