Restaurant was closed Sunday, but drive-thru remained open

A 68-year-old Iowa man drove into Culver’s Saturday and caused major damage to the building.

Officers responded to the Austin Culver’s restaurant, 1800 Eighth St. NW, at about 5 p.m. Saturday to a report of property damage and a motor vehicle accident, according to Police Chief Brian Krueger. Officers found that a white Ford F250 truck with Iowa plates backed into the south side of the building, causing major structural damage. The driver, a Little Cedar, Iowa, resident, was transported to Mayo Health Clinic System in Austin.

Officers spoke with several witnesses, and one said the truck hit a light pole in the southeast side of the parking lot, then reversed, drove around the perimeter of the parking lot in reverse, hit an unoccupied silver Nissan Ultima in the lot, and finally drove into the building.

The truck received moderate damage and was towed, and the Nissan received heavy damage on the driver’s side and was towed.

The damage to Culver’s caused the restaurant to close for the rest of Saturday and Sunday, but the drive-thru remained open. It reopened at 10 a.m. today, but several booths were blocked off.