Dutchman’s Market sustains damage in domino-effect vehicle crash

Entrance to Dutchman's Market in Santa Clara, Utah, June 16, 2016 | Photo by Hollie Reina, St. George News

SANTA CLARA — A two-car collision resulted in one vehicle being crashed into Santa Clara’s Dutchman’s Market and the driver of the other vehicle being arrested Wednesday evening, leaving extensive damage in its wake.

This photo taken Thursday morning, shows the interior wall of Dutchman's Market that was damaged when a pickup truck crashed into a Subaru, pushing it into the outside of the building Wednesday evening. Santa Clara, Utah, June 16, 2016 | Photo by Hollie Reina, St. George News
This photo taken Thursday morning, shows the interior wall of Dutchman’s Market that was damaged when a pickup truck crashed into a Subaru, pushing it into the outside of the building Wednesday evening. Santa Clara, Utah, June 16, 2016 | Photo by Hollie Reina, St. George News

The building sustained structural damage from the collision, with large cracks from ceiling to floor clearly visible from the interior of the building and cracks surrounding the point of impact visible on the exterior under the corner window.

Just after 6 p.m. officers responded to a reported collision at Dutchman’s Market, 2300 Santa Clara Drive.

Upon arrival, emergency personnel found two vehicles, Santa Clara-Ivins Police Officer Chad Holt said. A Subaru was crushed into the exterior corner of the store and a small pickup truck was smashed into the rear of the Subaru.

After taking witness statements and questioning both drivers, he said, officers determined the man driving the pickup truck struck the parked Subaru that had been stopped in front of the store.

The man driving the pickup truck attempted to turn around in the parking lot while making his way to the gas pumps, Holt said, but hit the Subaru in the process.

The impact launched the Subaru directly into the northwest corner of the store.

Bear Fraley, a store employee who was working when the collision occurred, said several employees ran from the bakery in the rear of the building when they heard a loud crashing sound.

“One of the employees’ children was sitting at an inside table in front of the windows at the time of the crash,” Fraley said, “just a few feet from where the car hit the building.”

The young child was startled but unharmed during the incident.

Dutchman’s Market co-owner Liisa Frei said Thursday morning she has no idea how much it will cost to repair the damage, that they will have to have someone come do a bid.

Table in front of window where young child was sitting when 2-car accident launched one vehicle into the corner of the building Wednesday, Dutchman’s Market, Santa Clara, Utah, June 15, 2016 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News
Table in front of window where young child was sitting when 2-car accident launched one vehicle into the corner of the building Wednesday, Dutchman’s Market, Santa Clara, Utah, June 15, 2016 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News

She felt bad for the guy whose car got hit and rammed into building, Frei said. He was not occupying the car at the time and it got smashed.

The 20-year-old man driving the pickup truck was given a field sobriety test, Holt said, which he failed.

The man was then arrested for suspected DUI and transported to Washington County’s Purgatory Correctional Facility.

No injuries were reported in the incident.

The Subaru suffered extensive front and rear damage from being struck from behind and then pushed into the building, Holt said. It was towed from the scene.

The pickup truck sustained damage to the front of the truck and was later impounded subsequent to the driver’s arrest.

The Santa Clara-Ivins Police Department, Santa Clara Fire Department and Ivins City Ambulance responded to the scene.

This report is based on preliminary information provided by law enforcement or other emergency responders and may not contain the full scope of findings. Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.

St. George News Reporter Hollie Reina contributed to this report.

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Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @STGnews

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2016, all rights reserved.

 

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6 Comments

  • Trevor June 16, 2016 at 3:01 pm

    More victims of the right foot braking epidemic? Right foot pedal errors happen 10,000 to 40,000 times per day to drivers of all ages and gender. Innocent people die. Sad that the authorities refuse to teach the safer left foot braking method and ban right foot braking on automatic cars.

    • mesaman June 16, 2016 at 9:24 pm

      Maybe a simple test of the focus of attention would accomplish the same thing.

    • Mike June 17, 2016 at 12:01 pm

      “Ban right foot braking”?????

  • Randys Sister June 17, 2016 at 8:43 am

    This poor store! If it’s not a flood it’s cars busting it up….

    • .... June 17, 2016 at 7:13 pm

      It’s totally unreal what that store has gone through but they just keep on going.

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