Cops: 78-year-old crashed into CVS twice, wife injured
A 78-year-old man crashed through Wading River CVS twice Sunday night, injuring himself and his wife as she walked out of the store, Riverhead Town police said.
Ronald Kucinski of Wading River was parked outside the store around 6 p.m. while waiting for his wife, Joan Kucinski, 74, to exit the store, police said.
Mr. Kucinski backed up at a high rate of speed in his 1997 Mercury and crashed through the brick facade at the northeast corner of the building, leaving a 5-by-5 foot hole in the building. He then put the car into drive and jumped a curb while pulling away, making a U-turn and crashing into the front entrance of the store. His wife was injured by falling debris in the entranceway, police said.
An official at the scene said Mr. Kucinski had recently been released from the hospital and that alcohol was not involved in the accident. Police said late Sunday night that he appeared to get confused while behind the wheel and he panicked. No criminal charges are expected to be filed, according to police.
The Kucinckis, who were both transported by Wading River ambulance to Stony Brook University Hospital, suffered only minor injuries, police said.
Store employees declined to comment on the crash, saying only that they were glad nobody was seriously injured.
“We’re lucky for that,” the shift supervisor said.
