Woman, 65, That Allegedly Caused Casino Crash That Injured 14 Says Her Accelerator Stuck

TEMECULA (CBS)  — Officials said the 65-year-old Corona woman whose car caused a chain reaction accident inside a parking structure at the Pechanga Casino and Resort blamed a stuck accelerator pedal as the cause of the crash.

Fourteen people were injured in the accident. Vivian Edwards and her unidentified passenger suffered serious injuries in the crash. She told authorities the pedal stuck on her 2007 black Saturn Aura, according to CHP Officer Nathan Baer.

The crash was reported about 8 p.m. Saturday at the casino's north parking structure. The fourteen people were  taken to five area hospitals, Baer said.

Edwards was traveling between 45-50 mph while descending the exit ramp from the third floor of the casino when the Saturn rammed into the back of a 2012 black Hyundai Elantra, according to Baer.

The Saturn then slammed into a concrete pillar and kept going, hitting the golf cart that was carrying seven people and upending it, injuring two passengers seriously and six others moderately, Baer said.

The driver and three passengers of the Hyundai were also taken to hospitals with serious injuries, he said.

Investigators were unable to duplicate the sticking of the accelerator because the car is inoperable, Baer said.

Neither drugs, nor alcohol were determined to be factors.

No one was arrested.

Temecula police continue their investigation.

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