Charleston DPS investigating after car crashes into grocery store

The Charleston Department of Public Safety is investigating after a car crashed into the McClain’s Food Center Saturday night.
Published: Aug. 7, 2022 at 4:19 PM CDT|Updated: Aug. 8, 2022 at 3:05 AM CDT

CHARLESTON, Mo. (KFVS) - The Charleston Department of Public Safety is investigating after a car crashed into the McClain’s Food Center Saturday night, August 6.

According to DPS Director Robert Hearnes, the crash happened around 6:20 p.m. on South Main Street.

Several people were injured, including a child, according to Hearnes.

Photos were shared with KFVS of the incident where it shows community members coming together to pick up the pieces and repairing the store after the crash.

McClain’s Food Center store owner Jerry McClain III said the impact of the vehicle caused a lot of damage.

“What it all affected was our entrance way sliding door. It completely demolished that,” McClain said. “It took this counter and pushed it back to the middle of that aisle there everyone is working on and trying to rebuild everything. It demolished that aisle sitting right there.”

Police have not indicated how many people were hurt in the incident; however, McClain relayed that of the people hurt, two of them were workers and another person was hurt inside the store as well.

McClain said the workers are recovering from their injuries and hoped the other individual recovers soon from their injuries.

Soon after the crash happened, first responders arrived on scene. Along with them, members of the community came together to help clean up, repair and organize the store. Those efforts continued through Sunday as well.

“We just want to thank the community, the first responders, the police department, just everyone that pitched in and got involved. Everyone that reached out on social media, just ‘What can we do?’ That’s Charleston, Missouri, reaching out to one another, making sure everyone’s going to be okay,” McClain said.

McClain said they had construction professionals check out the support of the building and make sure all is well with that.

Employees were also on hand on Sunday restocking the shelves and cleaning up the store to prepare for their reopening of the store.

McClain wanted to thank everyone again for their help and support.

“Just thanking everybody that reached out, came in, picked up, helped sweep and mop,” McClain said. “It just really touches us that there are a lot of people in Charleston, Missouri that are kind and caring. It’s a wonderful community.”

Charleston DPS is continuing to investigate the incident. Meanwhile, McClain said they plan on reopening the store on Monday, August 8 at 7 a.m.

“We just ask that you keep your thoughts, your prayers, keep us all in your mind to everyone involved in this situation,” McClain said. “It was a tragic accident and just hope everyone involved can heal and move on from the situation.”

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