GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Police are searching for the person who drove an SUV into the back of a Grand Rapids coffee shop – and then took off.
It happened around 2:45 p.m. Friday behind the Common Ground coffee house, located at 1319 Fulton St. E in the city’s Fulton Heights neighborhood.
Witnesses said a stone white Jeep Liberty was parked behind the coffee shop while the driver, described as a slender white male with disheveled hair, went into the party store next door.
On Saturday, police said they had located the vehicle.
Common Ground employees and customers reported hearing a loud crash, which was followed by a plume of dust coming through the store.
Owner Brian DeVries and other employees said they saw the driver in the SUV fleeing at a high rate of speed down Benjamin Ave. SE and that pieces of the vehicle were dragging behind.
“I don’t know how anyone from a sitting position could run into a hall and knock half the wall 10 to 12 feet that far,” DeVries said of the damage.
Common Ground is still open, but will likely be closed Saturday and until the hole is patched.
Anyone who saw the crash or has any information should contact Grand Rapids Police at 616.456.3400 or Silent Observer at 616.774.2345.
