Workers had just clocked out. Then a car crashed into a southeast Fresno bike shop
A lock at the entrance of Sunnyside Bicycles in southeast Fresno was not enough to keep a Toyota from ramming through its glass doors Friday night.
John McCracken, who owns the bike shop with his wife, said he got a security call from his alarm company just after 8 p.m. and at the same time got a text from his business neighbor telling him a car had driven into the bike shop.
He rushed over to find glass scattered on the floor and his doors, still locked, laying on top of merchandise. Then there was the gray Toyota Camry lodged into the corner of the business. Vanessa McCracken, John's wife, said the vehicle struck the cash registers and dragged them all the way to the back of the store near the restrooms.
Surveillance video shows the Camry turning into a parking stall outside the business before accelerating and driving into the business, easily crushing anything in its path. The car was driven by a woman who had a male passenger, according to Fresno police Lt. Michael Landon.
Landon said nobody was injured in the incident. That brought a relief to the McCrackens who, despite being heartbroken over the loss, are glad everyone was safe. The workers in the bike shop had just clocked out before the accident, they said.
May being national bike month typically drives customers to his business, John McCracken said. “This no doubt will hurt our business and hurt us financially.”
The accident knocked out the computer system, according to John McCracken. “Our cash registers are buried underneath that car in the pile of rubble.” A tow truck arrived just before 10 p.m. to pull the car out of the shop. The financial damage to the business was unknown.
Police said late Friday no criminal charges would be brought against the driver. It was expected that insurance would cover the cost of the damage, police said.
The business was expected to be boarded up for the night and then, John McCracken said, the rebuilding process would begin. “I don’t even know where to start.”
Saturday, the shop was open for business while cleanup commenced. John McCracken said it will be closed Sunday but reopen Monday with normal hours.
Cresencio Rodriguez-Delgado: 559-441-6304, @cres_guez
This story was originally published May 18, 2018 at 11:02 PM with the headline "Workers had just clocked out. Then a car crashed into a southeast Fresno bike shop."