SALEM, MASS. (WHDH) - Newly released surveillance video shows the moment a car crashed into a restaurant in Salem last week.
The crash happened on Friday near 8:30 a.m. at the Sidelines Sports Bar and Grill on Canal Street. Salem police said the 47-year-old driver and her 45-year-old passenger were both taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
A local building inspector determined the restaurant suffered serious structural damage.
Crews were seen working Friday afternoon to patch up the hole in the side of the Sidelines dining room following the crash.
Video shared with 7NEWS now shows the car smashing through the wall, throwing chairs, glass, and other debris across the restaurant. Video shows the car then slamming into Sidelines’ bar.
Though no one was inside the restaurant at the time of the crash, several people are seen coming to the aid of the driver and her passenger after their car comes to a stop.
Salem police said investigators believe the driver fell asleep at the wheel immediately before the crash. While they did not identify the driver by name, police said she would be charged with negligent operation and a marked lanes violation.
Sidelines owner Adam Drohan on Friday said he was thankful the injuries in this crash were not more serious.
On Monday, Drohan said he expects Sidelines will be closed for at least a few weeks due to the damage.
“It was eye-opening how much, how fast, and everything that happened,” Drohan said after seeing the surveillance video of the crash. “…I’m just happy everybody is safe. There was nobody here. The driver walked away, everything like that, because it really could have been something else.”
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