Vehicle smashes into Y's Hometown Foods
By Nathan Straus News Reporter

Nathan Straus Photo Y's Hometown Foods was struck on its front facing. Onlookers described the incident as "nerve-wracking". The wreck blocked one lane of traffic for several hours.

At 3:40 Thursday afternoon, Valentine's Day, a gold Toyota Camry traveling westbound on Highway 31 left the road and veered into a line of parked cars outside of Y's Hometown Foods in Brownsboro.

According to Rusty Quattlebaum, a volunteer firefighter for Brownsboro Volunteer Fire Department, the vehicle first struck a blue 2000 Ford Taurus, legally parked on the side of Y's. The Taurus' parking brakes failed under the impact and this vehicle lurched forward and struck a red Chevrolet pickup, also legally parked.

"The first vehicle (the Toyota Camry) then smashed into the vending machines and wrecked the structure's windows," Quattlebaum.

The grocery store's employees described the episode as loud and nerve wracking.

Dusty Wise, owner of the store, said now the building has been hit from every side but the top.

"I'm just glad no one was hurt," Wise said. "This could have been a lot worse."

No major injuries were reported at the scene, but the two occupants of the Camry were taken to the East Texas Medical Center in Athens as a precautionary measure.

Wise said the damage could amount to around $10,000. This figure is only the damage to Y's Hometown Foods; the three vehicles ' repair bill will add a second tally to the overall damage.

Damage to the structure includes broken windows, damaged brickwork and vending machines.

Wise also said the doors don't close like they should.