2 Girl Scouts, elderly woman recovering after suspected DUI driver crashes into cookie table
By Ashley Sharp
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GRANITE BAY, California (KOVR) — A driver was arrested Saturday night in Granite Bay after crashing his car at the entrance to Walmart, also hitting a Girl Scout cookie table.
The driver, identified by CHP Auburn as Gary L. Benson, was booked into the Placer County jail Saturday night on felony charges of DUI causing injuries.
The crash sent three people to the hospital, including two girl scouts, ages 8 and 10, with minor injuries. A 78-year-old customer at the stand also sustained major injuries, according to police.
“My heart goes out to the customer who was standing there, supporting the girl scouts, buying cookies and then was severely injured,” said Linda Farley, CEO of Girl Scouts Heart of Central California.
Farley told CBS13 on Sunday that the two young girls are home, recovering from minor injuries.
Support is already coming in from neighboring troops, like scouts in Roseville.
“They are strong and they will make it through this,” said one scout selling cookies at Walmart in Roseville on Sunday.
“I hope they feel better and I hope they can get back to selling cookies,” said another.
Farley said, for the troop involved in the accident, their cookie business was essentially destroyed Saturday.
“What’s incredible is we’ve already had Girl Scouts who have rallied to say, ‘We will sell their cookies for them and we will give the proceeds to their troop,’ ” said Farley.
She added that in her decade of working for the Girl Scouts, a freak accident like this is a first.
“Safety is our number one concern. There are particular protocols followed during booth or stand sales out in front of retail shops. There always are adults there. They are back as far as they can be,” said Farley.
The accident traumatized those on the scene, according to Farley, including two young scouts who had time to jump out of the way and were not injured. Still, it’s a moment to teach resilience to young girls learning how to do business.
“We don’t want them to be fearful of being out there. We want them to be safe, but don’t be fearful, don’t be afraid,” said Farley.
“No matter what, they should be really proud of themselves because they still sold a lot of cookies. They will get the credit no matter what,” said one of the Girl Scouts in Roseville.
Farley said, at this time, the best way to support the injured Girl Scouts is to buy from any local troops in Granite Bay and Roseville.
If you want to send a “get well” card to the two Girl Scouts while they recover, they can be sent to the Girl Scouts Heart of Central California office at 6601 Elvas Avenue in Sacramento, CA 95819.
The names of the two scouts and the customer injured have not yet been publicly released. The condition of the elderly woman is unknown.
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