Hart's 'scarred,' but escapes tragedy when alleged intoxicated driver hits building

MEREDITH — Things were slowing down at Hart’s Turkey Farm Restaurant on Friday. The band playing in the bar had wrapped up its set, and staff was preparing to start closing up. Everything can change in an instant, though, and that’s what happened when a car slammed into the building.

Speaking several days after the incident, owner Sim Willey said it’s amazing there were only a couple injuries, and reactions have left him feeling supported by the community.

Meredith police reported Glen G. Mottram II, a 51-year-old Meredith resident, was arrested for driving under the influence for his role in the crash.

“I wasn’t in that particular room at the time,” Willey said, recounting the events that began to unfold at around 8:30 p.m. on Sept. 15. He said the night was winding down when he heard the crash. “I heard it and ran out.”

A white SUV that was apparently heading down Route 25 toward the village veered off the roadway and collided with the front of the restaurant building. The front corner of the vehicle pushed through an exterior wall into the front dining room. The impact also sent merchandise and shelving flying off the walls of the gift shop and entrance area.

Willey’s manager was a step ahead of him, and she immediately ran into the dining room to check on patrons there. It appears that only a couple of patrons were injured. A 76-year-old male who had a cut to his face was not brought to the hospital. A woman, 28, was also injured, but did not require hospitalization.

Meanwhile, Willey ran to the front of the building, where he found the driver of the vehicle, whom Willey said was unconscious.

“It looks like he just passed out in the car, and veered in,” Willey said. “It wasn’t like he was turning in, he was just out.”

The driver, once he was awakened, refused medical treatment and was immediately taken into custody by Meredith police, Willey said.

In retrospect, Willey said it’s remarkable there were only a couple of injured patrons, and that their injuries were minor relative to the force of the crash. No employees were hurt. What makes that so surprising is the fact there were likely 100 people or more in the building at the time, according to Willey’s estimation, and while the band was performing, there were at least 80 in the bar area.

Additionally, the yearly “Reach the Beach” relay came through town Friday night, and in prior years there would have been hundreds of runners climbing the hill in front of Hart’s at that very moment. However, due to a course alteration this year, the runners didn’t come through Meredith until a couple of hours later.

“This could have been way, way worse,” said Willey. He said he feels grateful for the fact “no one got seriously hurt. I keep saying, 'A building can be rebuilt.'”

Hart’s closed for the rest of Friday night — the Meredith Fire Department thought it best to evacuate the building to inspect for structural integrity — but the business was able to welcome guests the very next day.

“We were lucky in the sense that, the way he hit, it really just affected two rooms. The building’s large enough that we could open, and block off those two areas,” Willey said. Contractors came in early on Saturday to clean up the debris and patch the walls. He said it will take some time for specific building materials, such as doors and windows, to be delivered.

“We’re going to have our little scar for a couple of months,” Willey said. “We’ll have it fixed as soon as we can have materials here.”

Willey said he and his staff “waffled” on whether to open again the next day, but on Monday he said he’s glad they chose to do so.

“I think it gave people an opportunity to come in, give us hugs and have lunch, which was great,” Willey said. The amount of community support was “almost overwhelming,” he said, and included a thoughtful gesture of support from Michelle Watson, owner of The Looney Bin, who also had a vehicle crash through her restaurant earlier this year.

Willey said it’s typical for people to get wrapped up with their to-do lists, and the stresses and frustrations associated with their personal lives. He said he has regained some perspective over the course of the weekend.

“In your day-to-day life, you sometimes forget, this is why I live here,” Willey said. “I really appreciate that about where we all live, and how lucky we are.”