LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – Video obtained by 8 News Now shows the moment an SUV crashes into a downtown storefront, leaving a path of destruction.
“I got a call from my mom,” Linda Ruiz recalled. “That my store had been hit.”
Ruiz owns ‘Off The Threads’ on Commerce Street near Imperial Avenue in the Arts District.
She told 8 News Now that she first saw the damage to her business on her security camera on Saturday morning at around 3 a.m.
“When I checked it, I was like ‘Oh my gosh,'” Ruiz said. “You just hear the loud noise.”
The ear-piercing crash was followed by tires screeching as the driver backed out of the crash site and was then seen walking away, leaving the SUV and Ruiz to pick up the pieces.
“The whole structure is messed up,” Ruiz said. “The brick is affected, the framing, I can’t access my store.”
Ruiz told 8 News Now she filed an insurance claim, but it will take a while to process. In the meantime, she can’t access her inventory while the store’s walls and windows are boarded up.
“Just with like all the bills coming up, and I can’t even access it,” Ruiz said. “I don’t have any income. I was able to take out two racks, but even then, compared to all the inventory I have, it’s nothing.”
It’s a situation that’s still hard to swallow, but unfortunately, Ruiz said this turn of events is not surprising, considering her past experiences, including several burglaries.
“It’s always been a thought in my mind,” she said, referring to Commerce Street. “Just because there is always crazy driving down here.”
Ruiz hopes this serves as a lesson that reckless driving can spell disaster for so many in our community.
“You’re not just hurting people,” she concluded. “You’re hurting small businesses.”
Ruiz has started a GoFundMe page to help with expenses, titled ‘Help Off The Threads Recovery After Drunk Driver Crash.’
While she cannot access most of her inventory, Ruiz was able to pull several racks of clothing. She will have them on display at For The Love and Bogart Vintage this weekend.
She is also holding a raffle fundraiser to raise money. For more information, visit the Off The Threads Instagram page.
