Crime & Safety

Runaway Car Crashes Into Haddon Twp. McDonald's

The sedan first drove through a brick wall before reversing into the Cuthbert Blvd. McDonald's entry vestibule on Cuthbert Boulevard Sunday night.

Update, 4:45 p.m., Jan. 28: The driver, an Audubon woman, was charged in the crash. Read more at 'Runaway Car' Driver Charged with DUI in McDonald's Crash.

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Haddon Township fire and police crews rushed to the Cuthbert Boulevard McDonald's Sunday after a car slammed into the building.

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The car appeared to first drive into the brick wall enclosing the Dumpsters before reversing on a diagonal into the fast food restaurant. The car hit the building's entry vestibule, which suffered obvious structural damage, with bricks loose and cracks in the walls. The car didn't go into the actual restaurant.

A large crew of firefighters stood at the scene as police took photos. Westmont Fire Company Chief John Medes didn't have information available immediately on the details of the crash. The driver had already been removed from the scene.

Find out what's happening in Haddonfield-Haddon Townshipwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The accident occurred shortly after 7:30 p.m.

The crash brought to mind the 2002 Mt. Ephraim McDonald's crash, in which Frank Nastasi Sr. deliberately plowed his car through the restaurant on a suicide mission. He lived, but killed three women inside. 

Stephanie Andrews, who has worked at the Haddon Township McDonald's for three years, immediately thought of that case when she rushed to the restaurant Sunday. She was scheduled to work Sunday night, but got a call instead telling her not to come in.

"I had to come down here. They made it sound really bad," she said, standing on the grassy strip between McDonald's and Wendy's. "It's not as bad as that and I'm just glad this wasn't worse."

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