HOUSTON – Still shaken up and devastated about what she did, the 74-year-old woman who allegedly caused a deadly crash at a grocery store spoke to KPRC 2.
"I was on my way home and I thought I'd go on in Gulfgate and get some things for dinner and I'd go on home and all this tragedy happened," said the driver, Dorothy Barnes.
She said she was slamming on her brakes Monday in a handicapped parking space at the H-E-B at I-45 and Woodridge Drive, but her SUV kept going faster and eventually slammed into the store killing Carla Sanchez and injuring her young daughter and several other people.
"The car made a noise, like a little popping sound as if you're sitting still and if your tires goes out and I was trying to stop the car but the more I pushed the breaks, the faster the car kept going," said Barnes.
Sanchez, 31, was killed, but investigators said she saved her 2-year-old daughter by shoving her out of the way as the car barreled into the grocery store.
"I feel bad about it. I'm a Christian so I'm praying to God that he will correct what went wrong," the driver said.
Police have not charged the woman, but the investigation is still active.
The other people hospitalized as a result of the crash, including Sanchez's 2-year-old daughter, were treated and are expected to survive their injuries.
Visitation for Karla Sanchez will take place from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday, with a prayer service at 7 p.m., at the Compean Funeral Home Main Chapel at 2102 Broadway Blvd. Her funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at Grace Community Church at 14505 Gulf Freeway.