A man filming long lines forming at a Costco in suburban Niles was injured when he walked into a slow-moving car that was searching for a parking spot, according to police.
Authorities said the 68-year-old man from Chicago's Sauganash neighborhood was walking backwards in the parking lot of the Costco, located at 7311 N. Melvina Ave. in Niles, to film or photograph the long lines at the shopping center.
While doing so, he "walked into a slow moving vehicle which was rolling through the lot attempting to find a parking spot," Niles police said in a statement on the incident.
The vehicle was a 2016 Honda Odyssey being driven by a 69-year-old man from Chicago's O'Hare neighborhood, officials said.
Authorities said the pedestrian who walked into the minivan was later taken to Lutheran General Hospital with arm pain from the crash.
Concerns over the coronavirus pandemic have prompted consumers across the Chicago area and the country to clear the shelves at grocery stores, big box retailers and warehouse clubs.
Many shoppers hoping to stock up on necessities amid the outbreak found themselves scouring empty shelves and waiting in check-out lines lasting more than an hour.
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The uptick in cases - with dozens diagnosed in the Chicago area - has led to the cancellation of countless events and closure of hundreds of schools as experts recommend limiting social contact.
