Police vehicle crashes into Butler restaurant
Nobody likes finding a vehicle crashed into their business, but that was Wednesday night for Bill Atkinson, the owner of Butler Penne.
On Wednesday night, a police vehicle heading to the scene of another accident at Center Avenue and Hickory Street in Butler crashed into the front of the restaurant, police said. No injuries were reported in the one-car crash on Center Avenue.
According to Atkinson and eye witness accounts, a vehicle ran a red light at the intersection of Main Street and Jefferson Street. To avoid a collision with that vehicle, the officer was forced to turn towards Penne. The airbags for the vehicle didn't deploy. The officer was not injured.
The business was closed at the time.
“No one was in the building at the time,” Atkinson said, who said it didn't appear any equipment was damaged.
In the restaraunt, glass was scattered across the floor from the shattered windows. The vehicle demolished the lower section of the storefront, which was made of concrete and brick, and shattered four of the 12 windows and door that made up its Main Street facade.
Joe Gray, who owns the building with his wife, Jackie, said that there isn't any structural damage.
The police vehicle was removed by a tow truck around 10:30 p.m.
