SUV plows into Garfield Park senior living center, smashing elevator

CHICAGO - An SUV plowed into a senior living center in Garfield Park, causing an elevator to collapse. 

The incident happened just before 10:50 a.m. Friday in the 3300 block of W. Maypole Avenue. 

A 61-year-old man was driving a Jeep when he lost control and struck a parked Mitsubishi before driving through a fence, according to Chicago police. 

The Jeep continued on and struck a vehicle in traffic at the intersection of Homan Avenue and Washington Avenue and then came to a stop after crashing into the residential building, called the Ike Sims Village Apartments.

According to the building manager, the driver smashed through the community room and landed inside the elevator. 

The elevator was destroyed, but the accident didn't impact the second elevator. 

"The whole elevator is gone. The car landed on the inside of the elevator, so it’s not like 'fixing' the elevator. We got to get a new elevator," said resident Lois Simms.

Police said the driver of the Jeep was taken to Stroger Hospital and is in fair condition. No other injuries were reported among residents. 

Residents said they were all just grateful that no one was inside the community room or elevator when the car came crashing through the walls. 

"That wasn’t crazy, that was God. That’s a blessing because I know that I needed a new pair of shoes and the Holy Spirit kept saying, 'go get your shoes, don’t go to the community room,'" said Sims.

The building manager said residents returned to their rooms using the second elevator by 6 p.m. Friday.