Car Strikes Front of Business

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Published on January 4 2018 10:52 am
Last Updated on January 4 2018 11:35 am
Written by Greg Sapp

Injuries were averted when a car struck the front of a local business Thursday morning.

A car driven by Judy Houtchins of Odin struck the windows on the front of Ten Brooke Leanne Boutique. The store is located in a strip mall just off 401 North Keller Drive. The incident occurred about 10am.

Houtchins told us at the scene that she was dropping her boyfriend off for an appointment at the Carle Clinic location next to the store. He suggested she back up into a parking space across from the store. Houtchins said her foot slipped off the brake before shifting the car into reverse and her foot instead hit the accelerator. The car lurched forward onto the sidewalk and struck the glass windows in the front of the store.

The impact pushed in the glass, but didn't shatter the glass nor knock the windows out. There was some structural damage to the mortar below the windows.

Effingham Fire Department and Effingham Police Department responded and summoned a towing company to move the car away from the building.

Ten Brooke Leanne Boutique remains open for business. The owner of the building, Janet Zerrusen, said they were just arriving for the day when the incident occurred. Zerrusen said they had planned to work on the display in the window that was struck, but that work is likely going to wait for now.