Maryland Shopping Center Crashes Draw Media Attention

WJLA reporter Horace Holmes (right), with his cameraman
(left) and Mark Wright, working on storefront crash story.

Multiple crashes at a shopping center in Landover, Maryland, caught the eye of WJLA TV reporter Horace Holmes, who decided to prepare a feature focusing on the storefront crash phenomenon. Holmes invited me to join him and his camera crew at the center yesterday to tape roving interviews with store owners and talk about common reasons for vehicle-into-building crashes.

Two of the proprietors have been hit so many times that they each had bollards installed in front of their own stores, at their own expense, after the landlord declined to do so. Other shop owners, who don't yet have barriers, admitted they get very nervous while watching vehicles pull in to park. All the shops have front-in parking spaces perpendicular to their glass doors and display windows. Even patrons we spoke with knew about the frequent crashes.

Some of WJLA's interview footage will be shared with its sister station, WJAR in Providence, Rhode Island, for a story WJAR investigative reporter Katie Davis is preparing on a rash of crashes in her area. (I see they just had another one this evening — car-into-house!)

I'll post an update when each station airs its respective pieces. Stay tuned...