PULASKI, Tenn. (WTVF) — A car crashed into a convenience store in Pulaski Thursday evening, narrowly missing the owner and pinning a customer against the counter.
Surveillance video shows the moment a vehicle plowed through the front doors of Town Square Market, causing extensive damage and injuring a customer who was purchasing a lottery ticket.
Store owner Megh Patel was working the register when the crash occurred, having just taken over so an employee could go on break.
"This is like a movie or something," Patel said.
The video shows Patel stepping away from the counter seconds before the car crashed through the storefront, a move that likely saved him from serious injury.
"She came right after this happened and hugged me and said thank you. You saved my life," Patel said, referring to his employee who had gone on break.
A customer was at the counter buying a lottery ticket when the car came barreling through the entrance.
"He's a good guy, like all the time smiling and all that," Patel said about the customer who's a regular at the shop.
The car, which Patel estimates was traveling at 40-45 mph, pinned the customer against the counter.
"He was so in pain," Patel said. "She messed up the whole store. The legs— I don't know, what the heck."
Despite the chaos, Patel had the presence of mind to direct the driver to reverse out of the shop to free his trapped customer.
"I'm okay, but at the same time, my customer is not okay. So my brain is over there, but I don't know," Patel said. "The way his leg and everything… I'm pretty sure I don't know, but I hope he's gonna be okay, like, walking one day."
As Patel deals with cleaning up and filing damage claims, he remains focused on his community rather than his losses.
"This is my town. I can say I care about the people, and the people care about me as much as I care about them," Patel said.
The store owner hopes to reopen in the coming week after repairs are completed. He's looking forward to seeing his injured customer recover.
"I'm gonna be worried about him, but when he comes to my door, I'm gonna be glad he's okay," Patel said.
Police have charged 48-year-old Tabitha Phillips with driving under the influence, vehicular assault, and driving uninsured. She is currently being held in the Giles County Jail.
This story was reported on-air by Amanda Roberts and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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