Presnell's store remains closed after crash

By: Mike Conley | McDowell News
Published: November 01, 2009

More than a week after a car crashed into it, Presnell's General Merchandise in Pleasant Gardens is still closed for business. And the repairs to the building could take some time.
At around 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 20, a 2003 Honda, driven by 20-year-old Ismael Swepson, traveled across the centerline, went through a parking area, struck a railroad tie in the parking lot and hit a trash bin. The car and the trash bin then crashed through a wall at Presnell's General Merchandise at 2668 U.S. 70 West. It caused extensive damage to one section of the building and the merchandise inside.
The crash injured Swepson and his passenger, 19-year-old Daniel Simolke. It also left behind heavy damage to the store located near Pleasant Gardens Elementary School.
More than a week after the crash, Ken Presnell, the owner of Presnell's General Merchandise, said he doesn't know how long his business will be closed.
"It's going to be closed for a good while," he said.
A construction engineer was scheduled to come and check out the building this week. Presnell said the crash moved a lot of the beams in the store building. It also left a crack in the walk-in cooler.
"It will have to come out to repair it," he said of the cooler.
The crash left a gaping hole in a cinder block wall. By late afternoon on Tuesday, Oct. 20, the opening had been temporarily covered up with plywood.
Presnell will have a crew come to straighten up the floor that is littered with building debris and ruined merchandise. A lot of things are covered with dust.
"The dust is dangerous," said Presnell. "You have to wear a mask when cleaning up."
The candy and other food items that were in the car's way will have to be thrown out. "I have got an awful lot of work to do," said Presnell.
He added the most important thing out of this whole episode is that no one was killed.
If any employees and customers had been standing at the checkout counter when the crash occurred, someone very well could have been killed.
On the night of Tuesday, Oct. 20, Presnell called Dr. Greg Simolke, Daniel's father, to check on the condition of the two young men. Chris Simolke, Daniel's mother, owned the 2003 Honda, which was totaled in the crash.
The store employs three full-time employees, including Presnell, and two part-time workers. Presnell said an insurance company would pay the full-time employees while the business is closed.
Presnell said he's faced other setbacks in life before and he's determined that his store will reopen.
"The store can be built back," he said. "That's just life. It will settle out. We will come back around. I don't get depressed over it. I was self employed when I was 8 years old and I've worked myself up ever since."

Presnell's store remains closed after crash

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