HALLSTEAD -- Maloney's Pub and Restaurant is closed after a driver lost control and crashed into the bar early Sunday morning.
State police said Rebecca Collins of Susquehanna lost control of her car while driving on Route 11 in Hallstead.
She ended up coming to a stop when she crashed into the bar area of Maloney's, even dragging a Route 11 sign inside the bar.
"Luckily we were closed. It happened around 3:30 in the morning so nobody was sitting at this at end of the bar, or they would have been killed," said Dennis Maloney, the owner of the restaurant and pub.
"It's a mess. There's a lot of damage. If there were people in there, there probably would have been serious injuries or death even. It was right down the line where the people sit," said Walter Welch of Hallstead, who heard the crash happen.
Now the restaurant is boarded up and people in Hallstead can't believe what happened.
"At 10 o'clock this town is like dead and just to hear that, it's crazy," said Ernie Kuhn of Hallstead.
"The food is delicious, the service is always great, the bartenders are fantastic, I love that place," said Daren Lucas of Langhorne.
The crash caused Maloney's to close for labor day weekend, a holiday where the owner said the bar would normally be packed.
"We can't do anything, it's a holiday weekend. I can't do anything until the insurance company comes," said Maloney.
The owner of Maloney's said he's not sure how long the pub and restaurant will be closed for, but he said he wants to open up as soon as possible, since most of his employees have kids.
"Hopefully I can get the kitchen done and use the dining room," said Maloney.
Kuhn hopes the pub can re-open soon, he recently applied for a bartender position at Maloney's.
"It's been around for a while, a good 20 years so he'll probably fix it up, i'd imagine it will be running again soon," said Kuhn.
Lucas said the restaurant is his favorite place to go during hunting season.
"It's one of my favorite places to eat. My wife's going to be devastated. Hopefully they open up fairly soon," said Lucas.
State police said they will continue to investigate the crash.
