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Howell's Diamonds Steak & Seafood damaged in Christmas Eve accident with van

Posted at 4:42 PM, Dec 26, 2017
and last updated 2017-12-26 16:42:25-05

One local restaurant is cleaning up after a car slammed into over the weekend.

The driver first drove off leaving a mess behind at Diamond Steak & Seafood restaurant in Howell.

"'I think somebody ran into your building.' I was like, 'wait what?'"

That's the call Adam Merkel got after a minivan loses control and slams into the restaurant on Christmas Eve. It was caught on camera.

"There was glass every where, all over the inside of the restaurant."

Merkel said the driver lost control trying to make a turn at this intersection. He hit the windows next to a table and drove off but not too far.

"Apparently had a change of heart and came back."

We're told police issued the driver a citation. This happened Sunday evening around 6:00 pm, a time when this restaurant is usually packed but they closed early on Christmas Eve.

"The fact that a couple of hours later this happens. It's really a gift that no one got injured."

It was extra hard to clean up the mess because of the holiday.

"The city found us wood because Christmas Eve night, no Home Depot open, no nothing. So you have to find plywood to seal it up for the night."

The staff worked quickly to clean up the mess in time to open Tuesday morning.

"It's amazing how something like this happens and the community pours out to you."

Even though this disrupted Adam's Christmas, he is keeping a positive attitude.

"Like we always say in the restaurant business, 'there is never a dull moment.'"