car vs. building

Car Crashes into Front Porch of Apartment Building

By ARLnow.com

(Update at 7:10 p.m.) A woman somehow drove her car onto the front porch of an apartment building in the Columbia Heights West neighborhood this afternoon.

The accident happened at the corner of 8th Road S. and S. Emerson Street. A witness tells ARLnow.com that the driver was trying to back into a street parking spot when she lost control, hit the front of a Honda, drove in a U-turn in the front yard of the building and came to rest on the front porch. In the process, the woman’s car took out one of the porch’s columns.

We’re told the small, three-story apartment building is currently vacant.

The woman did not appear injured, though her car suffered significant damage to the drivers side. Firefighters from Fairfax County managed to drive the car off the front porch and into a nearby parking lot.

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Vehicle Slams into Walgreens on Lee Highway

By Katie Pyzyk

Police responded to an accident involving a vehicle crashing into the Walgreens at 3130 Lee Highway.

The vehicle jumped the curb and slammed into one of the building’s pillars. Nobody was hurt and there is no damage to the vehicle.

Police requested that a building inspector check out the damage to Walgreens, however the pillar is decorative and should not affect the building’s structural integrity. Police say the damage “looks worse than it really is.”

A tow truck arrived at the scene as a precaution, but with no damage to the car, it appears the driver can leave without assistance.

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Car Runs Into Apartment Building — A car ran into an apartment building on Lee Highway over the weekend. The impact punched a big hole in the side of the brick building, located at 4343 Lee Highway in Waverly Hills. [WUSA9]

Chorus Performances Relocated — The Potomac Harmony Chorus has announced that its 35th anniversary show, Melodies, Memories and Magic, will be relocated to the Washington-Lee High School Auditorium from the earthquake-damaged Thomas Jefferson Community Theater. The all-woman chorus is also seeking a new venue for its December holiday concert and sing-along. [Potomac Harmony Chorus]

Merrick Holds Cash Advantage — As of Aug. 31, Republican state Senate candidate had a nearly 9-to-1 campaign cash advantage over Democrat Barbara Favola, who had just emerged victorious from a bruising primary. [Sun Gazette]

Julia’s Empanadas Now Served at Boccato — Clarendon’s Boccato Gelato (2719 Wilson Blvd) started serving D.C.’s famous Julia’s Empanadas over the weekend. The expanding eatery is planning to start serving baguettes and pastries from Arlington bread delivery service LeoNora Bakery on Oct. 1. [Clarendon Culture, Twitter]

Photo courtesy David Johnson

Car Rams into Westover Storefront

By ARLnow.com

A car rammed into the Grand Hunan Chinese Carry-Out restaurant in the Westover Shopping Center last night.

The accident happened around 7:45 p.m. The car hopped a curb and slammed into a low brick wall, coming to rest across the sidewalk. Amazingly, no one was hurt.

The brick wall was damaged, but there was only minor damage inside the restaurant.

Photo (top) courtesy Anne W.

Car Crashes Into Rhodeside Grill

By ARLnow.com

A two-vehicle collision at the intersection of Wilson Boulevard and North Rhodes Street resulted in one of the cars crashing into the front of Rhodeside Grill.

The impact shattered one of the restaurant’s plate glass windows and destroyed a planter. Shards of glass and soil from the planter could be seen scattered across part of the restaurant.

Airbags deployed in both vehicles — a red Honda Accord and a black Volkswagen New Beetle. The Accord narrowly missed a fire hydrant as is careened into the building.

No one inside the building or in the cars were hurt, police said.

Six customers were inside the restaurant at time the time of the incident — around 11:45 a.m. It was “loud and hectic,” a Rhodeside employee said.

The restaurant remained open for lunch. They expect to replace the window later today.