EAST PALESTINE - A village restaurant was shut down for business Thursday afternoon after a woman accidentally drove her Kia SUV into the building.
Ellen Unger, 60, of East Palestine, was attempting to pull into a parking space directly in front of the East Taggart Street restaurant when her car lurched forward into the front of the building, Officer Brian Moore said.
The three employees and three customers inside were not injured in the accident that took out the entire front of the building, he added.
Customers seated inside were able to move out of the way when they saw the car coming toward the window, he said.
Unger was also not injured, although she was visibly "shaken up," he said.
She was the only one in the SUV vehicle.
Restaurant owner James Smith said it was fortunate no one was hurt and that the main focus right now is getting the building secured.
The accident left the restaurant in the East Taggart Street shopping plaza completely exposed, with a gaping hole from top to bottom where the front window and entrance was.
Local workers at the site were able to pry the broken window from the building to make room for a new one that will be installed as soon as possible.
Smith said he is unsure how long the restaurant will be closed for business, but is hopeful it could be up and running in the next few days.
He and some local contractors and food service employees held a construction meeting later that afternoon to get plans in motion for the renovation.
The building is insured, Smith said.
