'I would never hurt anybody': Phoenix man apologizes for driving car into dialysis center
PHOENIX - A driver is apologizing after he drove his car into a dialysis center in North Phoenix.
The crash, according to our previous report, happened in the area of 19th Avenue and Dunlap on Aug. 9.
"I can tell you that this vehicle was a patient, and they drove all the way through to the back wall, hitting those three people that were closest to that front door," said Phoenix Fire Captain Todd Keller.
On Aug. 14, almost a week after the crash, the driver involved, Matthew Palmer, said he had a career as a truck driver, and was always a good driver.
Palmer, who suffers from kidney failure and receives dialysis himself, said he has not driven since the ordeal.
"What did I do? What did I do?" Palmer said, recounting the moment of sheer panic when he drove his car through the dialysis center.
"Flip flop was stuck on the accelerator. I was going faster and faster, and I tried to get the brake and I couldn't move my foot. I kind of like panicked," Palmer recounted.
Palmer, who is a patient of the center, said he was trying to park at the time of the crash.
"Next thing I knew, I was going through it and I saw the patient," said Palmer. "I have seen their expression, and I was like 'oh my God! How come I can't stop?"
The building has reportedly suffered structural damage as a result of the crash. According to Fire officials, two women and a man, all of whom were in their 30s and 40s, were taken to the hospital with critical injuries.
"At that point in time, I thought oh 'my God, I killed them. I'm going away forever,'" Palmer recounted.
Palmer said he feels an immense amount of guilt, and wanted to apologize to those he hurt.
"I can't sleep because I keep seeing the image of these people, and how many people probably dislike me for what I've done, but if I can explain to them how sorry I am, and that in my right mind I would never do this, never," said Palmer. "I would never hurt anybody."
No charges will be fired, according to officials, because the crash is an accident.