A black SUV reversed into the front of Cumberland Farms in Vineyard Haven early Tuesday morning, smashing the glass and forcing the popular morning coffee spot to close on the first snow day of the year.
The incident occurred at approximately 8:30 a.m., according to responding officers with the Tisbury police department and witnesses at the scene, when a woman driving a black Lexus SUV accidentally reversed her parked car into the building.
At the time of the incident, there were at least two customers and two employees in the building, police said. The Tisbury fire department and EMS both responded to the scene. No injuries were sustained by the vehicle driver, customers or store employees, according to police.
Police and bystanders said it appeared that the driver backed out of a parking spot in front of the store and accelerated while keeping the wheel turned, reversing into the small curb in front of the store, hitting a tree and caroming into the building.
A Tisbury police sergeant on the scene and Cumberland Farms employees who witnessed the crash said that it appeared the driver, who was a customer at the store, was cleaning up a hot beverage she had spilled when the incident occurred.
The vehicle, which sustained damage to both its drivers-side doors, was towed from the scene at approximately 9:30 a.m., and the Cumberland Farms store had been cordoned off with caution tape.
A Tisbury police sergeant on the scene said the driver, who was not named, will be issued a warning for failure to use care in stopping or turning, but likely would not be cited.
Tisbury building inspector Ross Seavey, as well as the fire department, inspected the building and determined that there appeared to be no structural damage. But Mr. Seavey said that because the building, which includes the Vineyard Haven post office, is federal property, the town has no formal jurisdiction.
“I recommended they stay close until they get a second egress,” Mr. Seavey said.
Mr. Seavey said he also recommended that the store board up the front entrance. The store was closed as of 10 a.m. Tuesday morning.
