Woman Trampled as Shopping Blitz Starts at Wal-Mart Store

[jazz lady]

Orange City, Fla. - A mob of shoppers rushing for a sale on DVD players trampled the first woman in line and knocked her unconscious as they scrambled for the shelves at a Wal-Mart Supercenter.

Patricia VanLester had her eye on a $29 DVD player, but when the siren blared at 6 a.m. Friday announcing the start to the post-Thanksgiving sale, the 41-year-old was knocked to the ground by the frenzy of shoppers behind her.

"She got pushed down, and they walked over her like a herd of elephants," said VanLester's sister, Linda Ellzey. "I told them, `Stop stepping on my sister! She's on the ground!"'

Ellzey said some shoppers tried to help VanLester, and one employee helped Ellzey reach her sister, but most people just continued their rush for deals.

"All they cared about was a stupid DVD player," she said Saturday.

Paramedics called to the store found VanLester unconscious on top of a DVD player, surrounded by shoppers seemingly oblivious to her, said Mark O'Keefe, a spokesman for EVAC Ambulance.

She was flown to Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach, where doctors told the family VanLester had a seizure after she was knocked down and would likely remain hospitalized through the weekend, Ellzey said. Hospital officials said Saturday they did not have any information on her condition.

"She's all black and blue," Ellzey said. "Patty doesn't remember anything. She still can't believe it all happened."

Ellzey said Wal-Mart officials called later Friday to ask about her sister, and the store apologized and offered to put a DVD player on hold for her.

Wal-Mart Stores spokeswoman Karen Burk said she had never heard of a such a melee during a sale.

"We are very disappointed this happened," Burk said. "We want her to come back as a shopper."

 

[mainman]

Originally posted by jazz lady
the store apologized and offered to put a DVD player on hold for her.

...and just when I thought humanity was lost...

 

[vraiblonde]

Trampled at the Wal-Mart.....

when the siren blared at 6 a.m. Friday announcing the start to the post-Thanksgiving sale

Leeet's geeeet rrrrrrrrrready to RUMBLE!

 

[jlabsher]

Amazingly not picked up by the national media.


here's some of what Vanlester has claimed over the years under some of her various legal last names: Rastellini, Findley, Crabtree, Platt and Vanlester

• In 1978 and 1982, more than $400 in worker's compensation was paid after she claimed injuries from being struck by a falling object and from slipping and falling while working as a machine operator at a now-defunct manufacturing plant in DeLand
• In 1984, she claimed a back sprain from working at a restaurant in Winter Haven, producing $356 in worker's compensation.
• In 1987, she filed an injury claim against Deltona Lanes, a Volusia County bowling alley, after claiming she slipped and fell while bowling there. In a 1993 sworn deposition in another case, Vanlester testified she received a cash settlement from the bowling alley claim, but did not recall the amount.
• In 1989, after her car ran off Interstate 4 in Volusia and overturned, she filed a claim against Big T Tire and Wheel Service, of Orange City, claiming the crash was caused by a tire blowout. She testified she received a cash settlement in that case, as well.
• In 1991, she claimed to have slipped on a puddle of hand lotion while shopping for a curling iron at an Orange City Walgreen's, causing "permanent injury, disability, disfigurement (and) mental anguish." She filed suit in 1993, but it was thrown out in January 1994 after a 10-minute hearing. Walgreen's argued no one at the store had seen any liquid on the floor, so it could not be liable for failing to clean it up.
• In 1995, Vanlester reported slipping and falling on liquid or grease while working in the meat department of a Eustis Publix, resulting in more than $1,200 in worker's compensation.
• In 1996, she claimed to have slipped and fallen while working at the layaway desk of a Mt. Dora Wal-Mart, leading to more than $600 in worker's compensation payments.
• In 1997, she claimed a back strain while working at the snack bar of an Orange City Wal-Mart that was replaced by the Wal-Mart Superstore where she claims to have been trampled last Friday.

Put her on a chain gang.

 

[ceo_pte]

Originally posted by jazz lady


"All they cared about was a stupid DVD player," she said Saturday.

[/B]

UMMMMM.... what were you standing in line at 6 am for?

I don't understand people! I guess they never heard of the internet!

 

[Dymphna]

Asked whether Vanlester's frequent injury claims might cast doubt on the veracity of her latest allegation, her attorney, David L. Sweat, of Port Orange, said, "No comment." He did stress, though, that Vanlester "has not filed a claim nor have we decided to file one" related to last week's incident.

But she has an attorney, of course she plans to sue.

"For several years, every time they do this, people get trampled," (the sister) said last week, adding, "I'm panicked. I'm afraid to go into any stores, especially Wal-Mart."

Then wtf were you doing there?

 

[tlatchaw]

Originally posted by cmcdanal
But she has an attorney, of course she plans to sue.



Then wtf were you doing there?

From here statement it looks as though she was setting up a mental anguish lawsuit "I can't go shopping because of the fear" what

 

[Hessian]

On a brighter note..

If they convict her for fraud and insurance scams...that just means one less Democratic voter

 

[ceo_pte]

Re: On a brighter note..

Originally posted by Hessian
If they convict her for fraud and insurance scams...that just means one less Democratic voter

Either way, I'll still be paying for her free lunch the rest of my life..