City not quite ready for drive-thru hair salon

The booming sound of a large impact was followed by the shocking realization that a car was crashing through the front of Geneen Austin's busy hair salon, the owner said.

It happened at 12:30 p.m. Sat., Jan. 30, after lunch was set out near the back of the Day Spa Hairways Salon at 2140 Newbury Road in Newbury Park. As some of the 30 or so people inside the spa moved toward the back to get food, the front wall exploded from the impact of the car.

Rina Berney, 69, was parking her 1995 Jaguar in a handicapped parking stall in front of the spa when her foot allegedly slipped off the brake pedal and hit the accelerator, causing the car to drive over the sidewalk and through the front windows.

"A grandma and her grandson were sitting together by the windows," Austin said. "After the car came through, they were separated with one on each side of the car. We don't know how that happened."

Dianne McCormick and her grandson were injured and taken to Los Robles Hospital and Medical Center, where they were treated and released. According to police, they had lacerations from broken glass.

One of the beauty operators sustained a bad bruise on her thigh, Austin said.

"It sounded like an earthquake," said Gayle Feinstein, Austin's mother and part owner of the spa.

Although the accident was traumatic for them, the owners were still finding ways to count their blessings.

"If two people hadn't called and canceled their appointments, they would've been sitting in the chairs that were hit," Austin said.

She said a police officer told her they were lucky everyone survived.

Since the accident, the community has stepped forward to help the spa owners fix up their business so they can reopen, Austin said.

A police officer came by and installed a new water heater for them since their old one was destroyed in the crash, she said. Their phone has been ringing with offers of brooms, mops and assistance in cleaning up.

Berney will have to complete a recertification examination to retain her driving privileges, according to authorities.