Car crashes into animal hospital building in Woodland Hills, injuring 2 people, dog

WOODLAND HILLS, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Several people and a dog were injured Monday when a driver crashed into an animal hospital building in Woodland Hills.

The Veterinary Cancer Group is located in a strip mall on Ventura Boulevard and Winnetka Avenue.

The car smashed through the front glass windows shortly after 12 p.m. The area was blocked off with police tape and the hospital shut down as the debris was being cleared.

Initial indications from police and witnesses are that an elderly driver accidentally hit the wrong pedal and crashed into the building, then panicked and hit reverse, smashing into another section of the same business, leaving the Ford SUV fully inside the structure.

Witnesses say the crash sounded like a bomb or gunshot going off.

"I just heard a big boom and my coworkers were like, run to the back, run to the back!" said Donna Ahern, an animal hospital employee.

In the chaos, an injured dog escaped from the facility and ran across busy Ventura Boulevard to a Ralphs shopping center.

"I heard somebody was screaming for their dog," Ahern said. "So I ran across the street to Ralphs to get her dog. I saw her dog was bleeding through the nose, so I think he got hit."

She brought the dog back to the hospital to be treated.

Several people were injured and at least one was taken to a hospital.

It wasn't immediately clear if any citations were issued to the driver.