Woman struck when car crashed into Gainesville deli dies

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – One of two people struck by a car that crashed into a Newberry Road restaurant Thursday afternoon has died, according to the Gainesville Police Department.

Police said the car crashed through the front of Jason's Deli just before 3 p.m. and struck a booth where two customers were eating. Both were hospitalized, but 77-year-old Pamela Thrift later died.

The investigation showed the driver, Harold Silver, 92, was attempting to back out of a parking space and claimed his vehicle's bumper was caught on the cement parking block. As he was attempting to free the vehicle with the vehicle was in drive when he pressed on the accelerator, launching the vehicle over the curb, across the walkway and into the restaurant.

Silver was not hurt.

The GPD's Traffic Homicide Unit is investigating the crash and it will not make a charging decision until all evidence is examined and the investigation is complete.