Kirkland Grocery Outlet crash victim ID'ed

Victim identified in deadly Kirkland Grocery Outlet crash

Grocery Outlet in Kirkland remains closed after a car crashed into the store over the weekend, killing one person and injuring three others.

KIRKLAND, Wash. - We're learning more about the victim who died after a driver crashed into a Grocery Outlet store in Kirkland on Sunday.

The woman killed in the crash was identified as Shiela Stanton.

What they're saying:

"It's surreal that something like this could have happened to Sheila or to anybody," said Trish Tiura, the Parish Administrator and Communications Director for St. John’s Episcopal Church.

The day before the crash, Shiela was at a community dinner with members of St. John’s Episcopal Church.

"Sheila was full of energy," Tiura said. "She always was kind to people, she had a very commanding presence in terms of, she sort of exuded leadership and competence."

Tiura told FOX 13, Stanton was a member of the church for 15 years and a member of the Kirkland community for 30 years. Her involvement went beyond the church, as she also served as a commissioner for the Commission for African American Affairs.

"Our parish family is in shock at the loss of our beloved friend Sheila Stanton," Tiura said in a statement.

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As the church community mourned the loss of Shiela, repairs and cleanup continued at the Grocery Outlet store.

By Monday afternoon, the doors were boarded up, and a restoration crew was at work inside. The store remained closed on Tuesday, and a memorial paying tribute to Stanton could be seen in the same spot where she spent some of her last moments.

"It was so shocking, it took my breath away," Tiura said. "All we kept saying to each other is, ‘how can this be possible?’"

According to police, a 74-year-old woman plowed into the Grocery Outlet. Stanton died on her way to the hospital, and three others were seriously hurt, including a woman and her 12-year-old son. They are expected to be ok.

"We continue to be surprised and amazed with the phone calls that we're getting, an example to this, just this morning, the Kirkland Mayor called and asked us if it would be okay for them to say a few words about Sheila at the City Council meeting because of her involvement in housing, African American Affairs," Tiura said.

Nonprofit Eastside for All shared a post on Facebook calling Stanton "a community leader and volunteer who touched many lives in her decades of service." They said she was a force who will be missed.

"We have lost an amazing, amazing, kind, loving person who spent her entire adult life giving back to the community, helping others, caring for others," Tiura said.

Woman killed after crash at Kirkland, WA Grocery Outlet

Sheila Stanton, a beloved and active community member, died after a driver crashed into a Grocery Outlet store in Kirkland on Sunday. The crash also left four others with serious injuries.

Dig deeper:

"Apparently an elderly woman lost control of her car and drove through the store," said Barbra Kuhfeld, a mom of a store employee and former employee herself.

She says her son and others who were in the store at the time were deeply impacted by the tragedy.

"Last night he was very quiet at home. I think it’s really hitting him now," she said.

Barbra says many employees like her son were back to work early Monday morning, helping with cleanup efforts inside.

"He was worried if he was going to have a job because of everything that was going on with the store. But, I really think they are trying to get the store back together to reopen it," said Kuhfeld.

The Source: Information in this story came from St. John’s Episcopal Church, Eastside for All and original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle's Jennifer Dowling and Shirah Matsuzawa.