Lawrence Livermore lab executive killed in gym crash

A woman killed when a car crashed into a Livermore gym this morning has been identified by the Alameda County coroner’s bureau as Katheryn “Kathy” Baker, an executive at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

Baker, 49, of Livermore, was the chief financial officer at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, according to laboratory spokeswoman Lynda Seaver.

She died in an accident reported at 6:26 a.m. at the LifeStylesRx gym located at 1119 E. Stanley Blvd., police said.

An 80-year-old woman who apparently mistook the gas pedal for the brake accelerated into the building. The vehicle traveled nearly 70 feet into the building and hit an exercise classroom, injuring Baker and five others, according to police.

All six were transported to a hospital, where Baker died from her injuries. The others suffered moderate injuries and are expected to survive, police said.

Baker “was a very special person and cherished by the people she worked with,” Seaver said. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to her family.” Investigators do not believe that alcohol or drugs were a factor in the crash, according to police. LifeStyleRx remains closed until further notice, police said.