Man dies after elderly driver crashes into coffee shop in Miaoli

Taipei, April 18 (CNA) A man died after a car driven by a 71-year-old woman crashed into a coffee shop in Toufen in Miaoli County on Friday morning while turning right into a parking space, police said.

The incident occurred at around 7 a.m. when the driver, surnamed Lin (林), was traveling from Section 2 of Jianguo Road toward Zhongyang Road, the Toufen police precinct said in a statement.

Lin then made a right turn before the intersection into the parking area in front of the chain coffee shop, but for unknown reasons she drove directly into the shop, shattering glass and injuring a customer in the process, the precinct said.

Police said officers arrived at the scene after receiving a report of the crash, and they ruled out the Lin was driving under the influence of alcohol, but the exact cause of the crash remains under investigation.

In a statement, the Miaoli County Fire Bureau said first responders found a man surnamed Lai (賴) disoriented and responsive only to stimuli upon arrival.

He was rushed to the hospital but later died despite emergency treatment.

According to another customer who witnessed the incident, the car did not slow down and "just drove straight in."

Later, Lin told reporters she did not know why the vehicle suddenly accelerated and crashed into the shop, adding that she was shaken by the incident and prayed for the injured customer's recovery.