On Friday, April 4, at approximately 11 a.m., Grinnell resident Nancy Hendrickson drove her vehicle, a 2012 Buick Regal, through the storefront window of First Impressions Beauty Salon on 925 Main Street. Hendrickson depressed the gas pedal instead of the brake, as she pulled into a parking space, causing her vehicle to suddenly crash into the window until coming to a stop in the middle of the salon.
An employee who wishes to remain anonymous described the accident:
“[The employees] were all in here and a person was sitting on the couch,” she said. “One stylist was back with her client and a lady [was sitting on a couch] near the front. I guess the person that was up front took off running … She had to go to the hospital to be checked out.”
The client and her stylist were back at the washbowl during the time of the incident, at a safe distance from the crash. Luckily, no one was injured in the accident. However, the woman who was situated on a couch near the front window was taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure due to the fact of her pregnancy. After the crash, the client at the washbowl and her stylist, Karen Jones, continued with their appointment once the glass from the shattered window was removed.
The Grinnell Police Department was on the scene almost immediately after the incident. Officer Fred Forman of the GPD led the investigation.
“I’m guessing an outsider called after the accident happened, because they were here before we had a chance to call,” said the First Impressions employee.
Traffic on the 900 block of Main Street was shut down after the accident while the vehicle was removed from the shop.
No definite estimate of the damage has been made, but is expected to be at least a few thousand dollars. According to the First Impressions employee, the crash damaged “the floor, the walls, and it tore off a station. The whole front window will have to be replaced.”
The owner of First Impressions is currently vacationing in Arizona and was therefore out of town during the time of the accident. However, she has been informed of the damages.
The salon did not release future repair plans, but the First Impressions employee assured that business is being carried out as usual and will continue to do so in the future.
“Everything is going to be repaired as soon as possible, but everything is running smoothly now,” she said.
Besides the cost of damages and concern by community members, the accident has not had much of an effect on the First Impressions. The salon closed for the remainder of the day after the accident, but reopened for clients the next day.
Head investigator on the case, Officer Fred Foreman of the Grinnell Police Department was unavailable to comment on the accident.
