Driver Killed When Car Plows Into Pompano Beach Gas Station
POMPANO BEACH (CBS4) – A Pompano Beach man was killed when his Ford Mustang plowed into a gas station on Federal Highwya.
The crash happened around 2:30 a.m. at the Exxon station in the 300 block of North Federal Highway.
The Broward Sheriff's Office said 26-year old Julius Haywood crashed into two gas pumps before plowing into the building. The gas station was closed at the time of the crash, but security cameras captured the impact as glass shattered and merchandise flew off the shelves.
Witnesses said the car was traveling at a high rate of speed when it crashed into the pumps. Poonam Wadwa, who owns the station, said the car barreled across another parking lot before crashing into the pumps.
"It broke through those trees right there," Wadhwa told CBS4's Ted Scouten point to several shattered trees lying on the ground, "(It) came through here, I guess like this, right through the pumps and inside the store."
Turing a violent crash into a sickening one, Sterling was not wearing a seat belt. On impact, his body shot out of the car.
"He landed up there, on the wood block" said Wadhwa pointing to damaged wall area, "The down there. That glass broke, the glass probably broke from his body and then went across to the other wall and banged up there. Oh gosh, I feel bad for his family."
As workers clean up the station, Wadma said one thing she was grateful for was the pumps were turned off.
"The whole place would have caught fire," said Wadhwa, "There would have been an explosion."
Wadhwa said she hoped to have the store open late Thursday and have the pumps turned on by Friday.
Haywood, who was a registered sex offender, had a history of traffic infractions including speeding and not wearing a seat belt.
