Palm Coast resident William Lavender dies after medical incident, car crash at McDonald's on Belle Terre and Palm Coast Parkway

UPDATE: 5:15 p.m. Feb. 28:

A 92-year-old man who crashed his car into the McDonald's at the intersection of Palm Coast Parkway and Belle Terre Parkway the afternoon of Feb. 28 died at the hospital.

The man, Palm Coast resident William Lavender, was backing his 2014 Chevrolet Equinox into a parking spot at about 12:15 p.m. when he "suffered an unknown medical event," according to a Florida Highway Patrol news release. 

As a result, the Chevrolet went forward and hit several bushes, then re-entered the parking lot, heading northwest and rotating counterclockwise.

The back side of the Chevrolet struck the restaurant, and the car came to rest with its rear inside the south side of the building. 

Three McDonald's customers had minor injuries from the flying glass. 

FHP troopers were dispatched at 12:31 p.m., and rescuers took Lavender to Florida Hospital Flagler in critical condition.

He died of cardiac arrest at 12:56 p.m., according to the news release. There were no other people inside the Chevrolet.

Flagler County Sheriff's Office deputies and Palm Coast Fire Department personnel guided traffic through the still-operating drive-thru as Florida Highway Patrol troopers investigated the crash. 

All lanes on nearby roads remained open.

— Jonathan Simmons

UPDATE: 3 p.m. Feb. 28:

Rescuers took one person to Florida Hospital Flagler in critical condition after a car crashed into the McDonald's at the intersection of Palm Coast Parkway and Belle Terre Parkway at about 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 28.

The white Chevrolet came to rest with its front side sticking through the south side of the building.

Sheriff's Office deputies and Palm Coast Fire Department personnel guided traffic through the still-operating drive-thru as Florida Highway Patrol troopers investigated. All lanes on the nearby roads remained open.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

— Jonathan Simmons

ORIGINAL POST: 

At around 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 28, a white Chevrolet crashed into the McDonald's at the intersection of Palm Coast and Belle Terre Parkway. The car could be seen from the intersection with its front end protruding out of the south side of the building. Local police and fire department personnel could be seen guiding traffic through the still operating drive-thru and gathered around the crashed vehicle. It is still unknown if any bystanders or car passengers were injured in the collision.