photo by Steve Block

A beer wall made of cases of Busch Light beer was toppled when a car crashed Monday morning into the back door at Cheers Liquor, 1617 W. Main St. The store is in a building in the parking lot of Skyline Plaza.

Sedan crashes into liquor store

Staff

Published Tuesday, November 25, 2008

An Albert Lea woman inadvertently stepped on the accelerator instead of the brake, crushing the back door of the Cheers Liquor store Monday morning. Damage to car and store property resulted, but no injuries were reported

The silver 2007 Ford 500 Limited sedan was being driven by Donna Puryear, who lives at Pickerel Lake Homes.

“I just hit the gas and not the brake,” Puryear said. “I feel OK, just a little shaky.”

There appeared to be only minor damage to the car, according to Albert Lea police officer Alan Thompson, who was at the scene.

Cheers store owner Angie Stickfort said she was helping a customer at the till when she heard a loud boom.

“At first, I thought it was an explosion. Then the beer wall came crashing down. A beer vendor was in the back and he came rushing out to see what had happened,” Stickfort said.

Both glass windowpanes of the door were shattered by the collision, and the door frame was bent.

The incident happened at about 10:30 a.m. Cheers Liquor is at 1617 W. Main St. It shares a building in the parking lot of Skyline Plaza. Cheers Liquor leases the property from Skyline Plaza owners.

Stickford said she had already contacted Skyline Plaza’s management to report the crash. She next contacted Total Glass & Lock to begin the process of repairing the damage.

Several cases of Busch Light beer were damaged in the accident, but no beer was spilled onto the floor of the store. Glass showered the rear area of the store, but no other damage was apparent to store owner Stickford.

“All that’s left now is to clean up the mess,” Stickford said. Cold and high winds are causing Stickford to move as quickly as possible, she said.

---

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE THIS STORY?

---