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SUV Crashes Into Tampa Dentist Office, Injuring 3

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By JEFF PATTERSON

News Channel 8

Published: October 27, 2008

Updated: 10/27/2008 02:14 pm

TAMPA - Three people were hurt this morning when a sport utility vehicle crashed into the waiting room of a dentist's office.

The car traveled 25 feet through the wall of Coast Dental at 14815 N. Dale Mabry Highway about 9:15 a.m., according to Hillsborough County Fire Rescue.

Firefighters say the driver and a patient waiting for an appointment were injured.

The driver, Wendy Keane, 56, of 17509 Canal Stores Drive, Odessa, was taken to St. Joseph's Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, said Debbie Carter of the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

A medical issue caused Keane to crash her 2006 Ford, Carter said.

Two of the dentist's patients, Annie Burton and Alamaz Zerefa, both of Tampa, also had minor injuries but refused further treatment, Carter said.

There were 10 employees and three patients in the building, according to Christine Duffy, a Coast Dental spokeswoman. None of the people in the building was seriously injured, she said.

A patient and an office manager were standing at a counter when the car came crashing through the wall, Duffy said. Both were hit by flying glass. There were no other patients in the normally busy waiting room, Duffy said.

The office will be closed for up to three weeks, and appointments will be shifted to other offices in the area, Duffy said.

Deputies say the crash did about $25,000 damage.

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