WATSONTOWN, Pa. — Video shows the moment a Cadillac Escalade crashed into the showroom of TK Tackle, a bait and tackle shop on Main Street in Watsontown.
"First, I heard the glass and looked up, and a white smoke came through, and I couldn't see into the room," recalled co-owner Laura Kitner.
"Loud noise, it was scary. And I went to see what was going on, and then I checked on the driver," said Ross Rathmell, an employee of the shop.
Local police say the crash was accidental, and no serious injuries were reported. That includes the driver, who was taken to the hospital and has since been released.
"First thing I was thinking was take care of the driver. I couldn't get to him, so I actually had to go out through the front door here and come in the hole he put in the wall," Rathmell said.
"I wasn't really sure what was happening at that point in time. I wasn't even sure if the building was safe at that time or if it was going to collapse. I really wasn't sure of the impact of it," Kitner said.
The crash caused thousands of dollars of damage to the building. You can still see shattered glass on the sidewalk and throughout the store. A huge hole in the wall was also boarded up.
"There was a couple of products that were scratched and dinged a little bit but nowhere near the extent of the outside of the building," Kitner said.
TK Tackle opened its business on Main Street just a little over two weeks ago. It took employees and the owners a few hours to clean the place up.
"This side here we have opened. That side, of course, is going to be off-limits for a little bit until we get some stuff straightened up, but we are open for business and ready to go," Rathmell added.
The owners said they are extremely thankful for the support of the community. People walking on Main Street or working came over immediately to help clean up the debris from the crash.
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