Car crashes into business
A car crashed into the front of Emmanuel Furniture and Variety on Lawrence Street last Wednesday. | Photo by Lynn Suddith.
By Matt Wilson
For the FCT
A local business in downtown Russellville was heavily damaged early Aug. 6 when a car crashed through the storefront.
Emmanuel Furniture and Variety, 111 East Lawrence St., had the large front window of the store completely destroyed when Eric de Leon, 26, struck the property with his 1993 Nissan Altima.
Store officials said some merchandise was also damaged in the crash.
Russellville Police Department investigator Lt. Scotty Lowery said the motor vehicle accident happened just before 8 a.m. He said the driver was traveling east on Lawrence Street when the crash occurred.
“When RPD arrived on the scene, the store had received extensive damage and it appeared as though the driver of the vehicle was in a bit of distress,” Lowery said.
“Officers and other citizens on the scene provided medical assistance until an ambulance arrived.”
Lowery said a prior medical condition was determined to be the cause of the accident.
He said the driver was not in serious condition upon leaving the scene by ambulance on the way to Russellville Hospital.
Russellville resident Donnie Hargett witnessed the scene shortly after the accident.
“I go to church right across the street and I was here this morning and saw the car still sitting in the store,” Hargett said.
Chief Nursing Officer at Russellville Hospital, Belinda Johnson, said de Leon was brought into the emergency room at approximately 8:20 a.m.
“The driver of the vehicle was brought in and seen in the ER, treated, and released in good condition,” Johnson said.
Louis Monterroso, an employee at Emmanuel Furniture and Variety, said they plan on rebuilding as fast as they can.
“There was about $85,000 damage to the building and about $15,000 in damage to inventory,” Monterroso said.
“We want to try and fix things back as fast as we can. Right now it looks like probably five weeks to get that done.”
No other people were involved with the accident and no one other than the driver was taken to Russellville Hospital.
