Driver facing charges after crashing into Gisborne tavern

Police say the driver of a vehicle that crashed into the side of Roseland Tavern has been charged with careless driving and driving without a licence. Photo / Roger Handford

The owner of a Gisborne business feels “blessed” that no one was seriously hurt after a car crashed into the side of the building.

The driver of the vehicle was arrested at the scene and is now facing charges in court

A police spokesman said police responded to reports of a crash on Main Rd in Makaraka on December 29.

There were no serious injuries and the driver was taken into custody.

The driver is due to reappear in Gisborne District Court on January 22, facing charges of careless driving and driving without a valid licence.

The owner of the Roseland Tavern, who declined to be named for privacy reasons, said he was not there when the incident occurred, having left between 10 and 15 minutes earlier.

“Everyone was nearly gone by the time we got there. The police had already taken the driver into custody,” the owner said.

He said security footage from nearby businesses showed the driver losing control of the vehicle, leaving skid marks across the road before crashing into the front of the building.

The owner of Roseland Tavern was frustrated by the incident but felt “blessed” that no one was seriously hurt. Photo / Roger Handford

The tavern owner said the building owner was handling the repairs and, since it was the holiday period, he wasn’t sure of the cost.

“It was a lot of damage, but we have a temporary fix and it is secure for now,” he said.

“It was quite shocking for us, and just frustrating, because we had only recently taken over the business in November last year.”

He said it was very lucky no one had been hurt in the incident, as customers often sat near the part of the building that was hit.

“We were just blessed none of the customers were there.”