Owner says he'll rebuild after truck slams into BBQ joint
RALEIGH (WTVD) -- Jerry Hart was home Saturday night riding out the snow storm when police called urging him to come down his business. A driver had just crashed into the Ole Time Barbecue and there was extensive damage.
"Oh, I got sick in my stomach. I've got 25 years invested in this place," said Hart.
Hart says the driver hit the building with such force that cinder blocks went flying and landed near the front door.
"There was pieces of cinder block all the way up in here," said Hart as he walked behind the counter. "It knocked everything out of here."
The building is now boarded up and Hart plans to rebuild.
He has insurance, but a GoFundMe page has been set up to help he pay for repairs.
Police say Saturday a driver was traveling down Hillsborough Street and hit a patch of ice, sending the driver's truck careening into the building.
It slammed into the side of the building, directly hitting plumbing and electrical wiring.
"For the power line box not to blow up and set the building on fire is a miracle, or [for] him to get electrocuted in his own vehicle," said Hart.
The driver was not hurt and thankfully the store was closed Saturday because of the weather conditions.
"If I had an employee back here Saturday night, we'd be going to a funeral," said Hart.
The BBQ restaurant is temporarily shutdown now.
A Raleigh inspector came out to the property Tuesday to check the structural integrity of the building. A contractor has been hired and Hart filed for permits to make repairs.
"You just got to go with the flow and keep praying and that's all we can do right now... keep praying and hope things [are] going to go like they supposed to," he said. "I've learned a long time ago if God gives you lemons, you make lemonade and keep on going."
The crash happened just as Hart has been getting ready to retire and hand everything down to his son.
He hopes to reopen in about a month.
