Car crash leaves hole in Norfolk's Booker T. Washington High School

According to Norfolk police, an early morning car crash damaged the side of Booker T. Washington High School, creating a hole several feet wide in the side of the historic school building.

Police said they responded to a report that a car had crashed into a building around 4:30 a.m. Saturday. They found the driver, a 21-year-old woman, with injuries that were not considered life-threatening. Police said she was taken to a hospital.

Damage was visible later in the morning. The crash ripped away part of a brick wall at the corner of the building, leaving a large hole. Inside, remnants of electrical wiring and light switches hung from the ceiling, while posters and desks were visible through the hole. The crash also appeared to have damaged a nearby support column.

Police said charges related to the accident would be withheld pending the completion of the investigation.

According to the Virginia Department of Historical Resources, Booker T. Washington High School was renamed after the black intellectual and educator in 1917. It moved to its current building in 1974.

Trevor Metcalfe, 757-222-5345, [email protected]