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Grayslake-area church shows its resilience day after it's hit by car

Even as she was pinned to the wall by a car that had plowed through Wildwood Presbyterian Church, Karen Lovett managed to keep it light.

"She was joking the whole time," said church elder Tony Biondo. "She said, 'I didn't think this was going to happen today.'"

Lovett was one of two church members volunteering at the food pantry who remained hospitalized Sunday. She sustained a broken leg, a fractured right ankle and a broken shoulder, Biondo said, while Chuck Manson had two broken legs.

It was that type of resilient spirit that came through a day after the frightening episode: About 8:30 a.m. Saturday, a 2002 Toyota Camry plowed through the front entrance of the church, 18630 W. Old Gages Lake Road near Grayslake. The church was occupied by volunteers doling out food to the needy.

Lovett was extricated by Grayslake firefighters. She, Manson and three others were taken to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville with nonlife-threatening injuries.

Lake County sheriff's police said the accident is still under investigation.

Interim Pastor Bill Ingersoll said, "My understanding is that someone got in to move their car and thought they put it in reverse, but it was in drive and then (the driver) panicked as it headed toward the building."

Despite the scare, church members did everything they could to return to normal Sunday. The church held its regular worship service - the boards covering the shattered window were the only sign that something out of the ordinary had occurred.

The driver, a 72-year-old woman, was a client at the food pantry, Biondo said, adding that the church's response was "awesome. Even while all of this stuff was going on, we were still handing out food."

But things were scary when the car approached the building.

"It just revved and kept picking up speed, came through, flipped the table, hit a couple of our folks and knocked them into the windows," Biondo said.

Church member Troy Smith said he and Biondo ran over to Lovett to dig her out of the debris. She was covered with drywall and insulation, as well as an office mailbox, but still conscious and talking.

Ingersoll said the church pulled together, providing first aid until first responders arrived, as well as serving food pantry clients until the police investigation halted those efforts. Church members also provided outreach to those who were traumatized by the event, organized cleanup efforts and made sure there were hospital visits to the injured.

Smith said the food pantry will continue, although he added that he hoped the church will look at removing parking from the area where the accident occurred.

Ingersoll addressed worshippers Sunday, talking about the heroic efforts of those on the scene, including a retired EMT.

Following the service, Ingersoll said, "We're thankful that even though the injuries are serious, no one was killed or paralyzed."

He added, "On a Communion Sunday, we were reminded that we are a community of faith, that we came together, and that we were being church."

Five injured when vehicle enters Grayslake area church

  The boarded-up window was the most visible reminder Sunday of a scary crash that occurred a day earlier at Wildwood Presbytarian Church near Grayslake. Steve Zalusky/szalusky@dailyherald.com
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