Woman seriously hurt when SUV crashes into sub shop, driver arrested for criminal recklessness

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (February 12, 2016) — An Indianapolis woman is in the hospital with serious leg wounds after a driver slammed into a near south side sandwich shop.

The crash happened around 5:30 a.m. at Greiner’s Sub Shop in the 2000 block of Shelby Street.  Police said the crash appeared to be intentional, although the driver wasn’t aware that an employee was inside at the time.

The business owner says her focus is not just fixing the shop, but helping her employee recover.

“It`s just a terrible situation,” said Greiner’s owner Lisa Moyer.  “It`s a lot of damage. It`s not like somebody just hit the front. It’s all the way to the back of our building,” said Moyer.

The crash did so much damage inside that one employee got pinned underneath heavy metal debris.

“I mean this is a building. It`ll get repaired. Our bigger concern is Tina,” said Moyer.

The victim, Tina Scruggs, has worked at Greiner`s for more than 3 decades.

“She`s just faithful. It`s so rare to have someone work someplace for 31 years today,” said Moyer. “She`s just truly a remarkable employee.”

Police identified the driver Friday afternoon as Deanna Shumaker, 41, Indianapolis, and said she was arrested on a preliminary charge of criminal recklessness. The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office will have the final determination on charges, police said.

“The driver made comments that she intentionally drove into the sub shop,” said IMPD Captain Richard Riddle.

Before stepping on the gas, investigators say the driver appeared to have a mental breakdown.

“That led her to believe that something was going on inside the sub shop and that she needed to drive her vehicle in to protect people,” said Riddle.

Riddle described the crash as an “intentional but random” act.

The driver escaped without injury.

Unfortunately, Scruggs now has a long road to recovery after suffering a broken leg and ankle.

“She is truly an amazing person,” said Moyer. “It`s just a very tragic situation.”

Moyer set up a GoFundMe account to raise money for the victim’s medical bills at https://www.gofundme.com/phuhc438