SLIDELL, La. — Authorities are investigating after an SUV crashed into Pope John Paul II Catholic High School in Slidell on Monday morning.
The St. Tammany Fire Protection District No. 1 shared photos of the crash on social media showing a BMW SUV which had crashed through a wall. The fire department said the vehicle “accidentally drove into” the school.
Kimberlie Kilroy, assistant principal of operations and personnel, said that the driver's brakes failed, causing the car to crash into a conference room and weight lifting station.
"it is a huge blessing that no one was on campus, that everyone is free from harm. We feel incredibly blessed," Kilroy said.
"Luckily, because we put lift racks there, that is what stopped the momentum of the vehicle going further into the building," she added.
The school will close Monday due to the crash and is expected to reopen on Tuesday.
“Thankfully this happened just prior to the students arriving, and the driver was not injured,” the fire department said.
It is unclear if the damage was contained to a single room.
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