Car plows through Henry County gas station after gas pedal sticks

The clerk was the only person inside the store around 8:30 p.m. on Macon Street in McDonough when the incident happened.

A car plowed through a McDonough gas station Tuesday evening after its gas pedal became stuck, police said.

The manager of the McDonough Market convenience store, Tony Patel, told Channel 2 Action News he was glad the business was nearly empty at the time. Only a clerk was inside. While the clerk was not injured, he was shaken up, Patel said.

About 8:30 p.m., a car pulled up to a parking space in front of the store, which is located at the corner of Macon Street and Racetrack Road, and it did not stop. The car took out a wooden pole, crashed through the storefront and continued to the back of the store, hitting the beer coolers, the news station reported.

Store manager Tony Patel surveys the damage at McDonough Market on Macon Street after a car plowed through the store. “I feel lucky no one was hurt,” he said.

Credit: JOHN SPINK / JSPINK@AJC.COM

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Credit: JOHN SPINK / JSPINK@AJC.COM

The driver was able to back out on his own, according to Channel 2, and he spoke with Patel and with police Tuesday night. McDonough police told AJC.com he was charged with failure to register his vehicle and driving without proof of insurance, but he is not facing charges related to the accident. There was no evidence the man was driving impaired, police said.

The business was being boarded up Wednesday morning and was not expected to reopen until repairs are made.

“It will come back,” Patel said. “It will take time, but it will come back.”

— Please return to AJC.com for updates.