Mercedes rams Bagdad Elementary

Early Friday morning an unidentified driver hit Bagdad Elementary School and left the scene.

According to a Florida Highway Patrol press release, the car, a 2005 Mercedes Benz Kompressor, was headed north on Garcon Point Rd., when it failed to stop at the intersection of Forsyth St.

The car crossed Forsythe St. and into the school parking lot where it went airborne for a short period of time, jumped the curb near the school and came to a stop after striking the school building.

At this time the FHP does not know if the accident was alcohol related and charges are pending if the driver of the vehicle is located.

Currently one classroom at Bagdad Elementary has been temporarily relocated as school officials access the damage to the school.

According to Joey Harrell, Santa Rosa County Assistant Superintendent over Buildings and Grounds, workers are currently removing the cabinets to the school to access the damage.

"Bagdad Elementary is a double-brick wall facility, which has two rows of bricks," Harrell said. "We are currently looking to see what damage has been done to the inside wall.

"Charlie Parker (Building Maintenance Supervisor) and Tim Tolbert (Building Code Administrator) are on site right now to see if we need to contact a structural engineer."

Harrell indicated the safety of the kids is paramount as they work to make sure the classroom is up to code and structurally safe.

Once everything has been checked, the school system will make a decision on how to repair the inside wall as well as shore up the outside brick wall, which is a major part of the double-brick structure.

According to Sgt. Scott Haines with the Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office the driver hit the school and called a tow truck to remove the vehicle following the accident.

The tow truck driver refused to remove the vehicle and contacted law enforcement.

The facade of the school has been cracked and dented, but an estimate of the damage is not available at this time.

Harrell indicated that to his knowledge Bagdad Elementary has never incurred an incident such as this.

This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Mercedes rams Bagdad Elementary