The driver of an out-of-control pickup truck was rushed to a local hospital after crashing her vehicle into the side of the East Ridge Fire and Police Services Center at about 4:20 on Monday afternoon.

According to law enforcement officials, the truck was traveling east on Ringgold Road just past the Marlboro Avenue intersection when she apparently lost control of the truck, jumped the curb and the multi-modal sidewalk, and continued into the building.

The truck entered the side of the building where the office of Battalion Chief Jeff Duncan is located. He was not in his office.

“We had just been toned out,” Battalion Chief Duncan said. “I literally had just pushed my chair back under my desk 30 seconds before and was headed to my truck.”

No one in the building was injured.

Police Chief Clint Uselton said the driver of the truck, a juvenile, was the lone occupant of the red Ford F-150. The truck bore Georgia plates. It is unclear at this point what caused the truck to veer out of control.

Police blocked the 4200 block of Ringgold Road allowing traffic investigators access to the busy commercial highway at rush hour. East bound traffic was diverted onto Marlboro Avenue.

The building sustained substantial damage and Chief Building Inspector Mike Howell was assessing the damage. He said it is unclear whether the structural damage to the building would warrant condemnation.

For years, city officials have been entertaining the prospect of renovating the former McBrien School building as a new home for the fire and police departments. When asked if this incident might accelerate the efforts by the city to do just that, City Manager Scott Miller just shook his head.

East Ridge News Online will update this story when more information becomes available.