Car plows through south Windsor restaurant; no injuries reported

A car has crashed into a Windsor restaurant, causing extensive damage to the business.

A south Windsor restaurant is left with thousands of dollars in damage after a car plowed through its front entrance Sunday evening — narrowly missing staff and diners.

The crash happened around 7:30 p.m. at RoseCity Grill on Howard Avenue, near Kenilworth Drive.

“I got a call from the staff saying that a car ran through the front of the store,” said owner Mohamad Mocheimech.

“When I pulled up, I just saw the back end of the vehicle sticking into the restaurant, glass all over the place.”

No one was hurt, but Mocheimech said it was a close call.

“My biggest concern was the bench right there at the window — people usually sit and eat at that spot,” he said.

“Ten minutes before, a family with two kids had just left. Thank God nobody was there.”

He said an employee had also stepped away from the counter moments before impact.

“She walked into the back to wash a rag and then heard the bang. If she stayed out front wiping the benchtop, she could have been hurt, 100 per cent,” Mocheimech added.

Police told him damages could run around $15,000.

The crash took out eight panes of glass, aluminum framework, and part of the dining area.

“We had a break-in last winter where just one piece of glass cost $4,000 to replace,” said Mocheimech.

“This time it’s eight pieces, plus the framing.”

The driver, an older woman, told Mocheimech her brakes weren’t working when she pulled into the plaza.

Windsor police told CTV News the crash was unintentional, and no charges are being laid at this time.

While the dining room is shut down until repairs are complete, RoseCity Grill remains open for takeout and delivery orders.

Adding insult to injury

The crash is another setback for the restaurant, which opened in June 2023 and has been struggling with ongoing construction along Howard Avenue.

“Last year they closed the road for six months and now it’s closed again until October,” said Mocheimech.

“Our sales dropped to about 40 per cent of what they used to be. We’re honestly just trying our best to stay open.”

Even so, he says he’s grateful.

“My own family was coming in right after that crash — they got delayed at the park with the kids. Otherwise, they’d have been sitting right there,” he said.