HOWELL – A 53-year-old woman from Lakewood has been charged with careless driving after crashing her car into an entrance vestibule at Mulligan’s Bar and Restaurant, Squankum Road, on the afternoon of Aug. 5.
According to a police report obtained from the Howell Police Department, the woman told police she attempted to slow down for a vehicle in front of her on Squankum Road, but accidentally hit the gas pedal instead of the brake.
The woman said that when she hit the gas she lost control of the vehicle. She told police she did not see the vehicle in front of her slowing down and stopping, according to the report.
The driver of the vehicle that was slowing down and stopping was doing so to turn into Mulligan’s and witnessed the woman’s car strike the building. That driver told police the vehicle had its turn signal activated, indicating the driver was turning into the restaurant’s parking lot.
The incident occurred just before 3 p.m. Firefighters from Squankum Fire Company No. 1 responded to the scene and found a vehicle had struck one of the restaurant’s entrance vestibules.
Additional first responders helped to secure the building. A representative of Mulligan’s later said permits have been obtained from Howell and work is underway to repair the damage.