A vehicle slammed into a business building in Kapa‘a off Kuhio Highway early Friday morning, creating a gaping hole in the structure. The damage was severe enough to temporarily shut down William and Zimmer Furniture Store, which occupies the storefront
A vehicle slammed into a business building in Kapa‘a off Kuhio Highway early Friday morning, creating a gaping hole in the structure.
The damage was severe enough to temporarily shut down William and Zimmer Furniture Store, which occupies the storefront building, and the Orchid Alley flower store, a business that operates in an alley adjacent to and north of the building.
Because the building was not occupied at the time of the incident, and because no one was in the alley as well, no one was injured.
The condition and identity of the driver are not known.
The vehicle was apparently headed north on the highway when it went mauka off the road and smashed into the southern wall of the building and became lodged in the northern wall, according to Neill Sams, owner of the building and co-owner of Orchid Alley with his wife Fely. The flower shop is a popular retailer and exporter of exotic plants.
“He went through the side wall, knocked down two structural posts, ran into another wall, and went through it and ended up in Orchid Alley,” Sams said. “From all appearances, it doesn’t look as if he took his foot off the accelerator. It looks as if he drove 40 miles an hour when he hit the building.”
Sams’ mother, Ardith Sams, said “there is a truck-size hole in the wall between the two businesses.”
Neill Sams said the damage was so severe that “the building may have to be rebuilt.” The hole was covered over as of Friday afternoon.
Sams said the impact of the vehicle didn’t cause significant damage to his business. He and his family plan to reopen in a week or more.
“It (the closure) is definitely temporary,” said Ardith Sams. “It could be a week or more.”
She said 20 plants were knocked off display stands at the orchid store, but that the store still has a backstock of plants for sale.
Neill Sams said he spoke with the owner of the furniture store whom he described as Kevin Carl, and that plans are afoot to reopen both businesses as soon as possible.
” We hope to get support from the (Kaua‘i County) planning department to fast-track the permits to rebuild, because there is a backlog (of unrelated permit applications),” said Neill Sams. “Some major repairs are going to have to be made.”
The owner of the furniture store was not immediately available for comment.
Lester Chang, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 225) and lchang@pulitzer.net
