Drive-in damages NK 7-Eleven

The 7-Eleven convenience store on Route 33 in Eltham in New Kent County took on the appearance of an open-air market after a driver plowed his car into the store’s front door, causing damage that could run into the thousands of dollars.

The incident occurred shortly before 10 p.m. on June 6 when a Scion sedan, driven by Derek Mathis, 55, of Williamsburg, jumped the sidewalk curb in front of the store and crashed into the front door, taking out both of the double doors along with a large storefront window. Another window to the left of the doors sustained cracks, and the impact damaged brick masonry below the shattered window.

One customer and two store clerks were inside at the time of the crash. No one inside was injured and the Scion driver was unharmed.

“The guy pulled in and pulled up to the walkway,” said store clerk Kelly Slavnik. “We heard a squealing sound and the next thing I knew the car was coming in 7-Eleven.

“It was scary,” she said. “It was a good thing a trash can was there by the door because that’s what stopped him.”

The other clerk was in the back of the store at the time. The customer, identified as Chris Schultz of Williamsburg, told the investigating officer, New Kent sheriff’s Deputy Jerry Simpson, that he ran from the store’s front checkout counter toward the rear of the store when he saw the car was not slowing down.

Simpson said he charged Mathis with one count of reckless driving on private property. The Scion, meanwhile, sustained front-end damage, but remained operable and was backed away from the storefront.

The store, which is open 24 hours, never closed. After the accident and while clean-up measures were ongoing, customers continued to enter and leave through the opening where the doors once stood.