Driver who slammed into soon-to-open Acai Express in Wake Forest remains unidentified and at-large

WAKE FOREST, N.C. (WTVD) -- A Wake Forest small business is all boarded up after someone drove a car straight into the front of the building and then took off.

The incident happened just after midnight Saturday.

The owners were just weeks away from opening doors at Acai Express on Capital Boulevard.

Dipalli Patel and her husband have been working for more than a year to open this eatery and offer residents more healthy food options.

"We were ready to open this next month, and this just happened," she said.

Wake Forest Police Department said a witness called 911 and reported seeing the driver slam into the building. Officers are working to figure who was behind the wheel and caused so much damage to this small business.

"It's just so heartbreaking because we've been through ups and downs with this store trying to open," Patel said.

According to the incident report, the hit-and-run caused about $20,000 worth of damage.

The Patels plan to push ahead and hope they can open the store in December.

"Me and my husband stick together," said Patel. "We're going to make it happen one day and we haven't lost our spirit."