Teen charged with DUI after plowing into nail shop, police say

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Published  October 30, 2024 11:59pm EDT
FOX 5 Atlanta
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Teen charged in DUI after crashing into nail shop

The teen is now facing several charges including DUI for crashing the vehicle he was driving into the wall of Hammond Nails and Spa.

The Brief

    • A 17-year-old faces DUI and other charges for driving into a nail salon in Buckhead, Atlanta.
    • Crash occurred just before Halloween, causing substantial property damage.
    • Owner Andy Tran discovered the salon significantly damaged with the front wall in rubble.
    • Surveillance footage shows the extent of the damage, affecting not just the salon but adjacent units as well.
    • No serious injuries reported, but repair costs and replacing salon supplies may amount to tens of thousands of dollars.

ATLANTA - Atlanta police say a 17-year-old suspected of driving drunk was behind the wheel of a vehicle that plowed into a Buckhead nail shop over the weekend. It happened early Sunday morning as many were out celebrating early ahead of Halloween.

The teen is now facing several charges, including DUI for crashing the vehicle he was driving into the wall of Hammond Nails and Spa. 

It was a frightening sight for Andy Tran, who says he was stunned to find the front wall of his business reduced to rubble Sunday morning.

"I just sat in the middle of the whole thing. I literally just sat down and in the middle of the destruction was like what just happened," Tran recalled.

Atlanta police units responded to a single vehicle accident at the nail shop on Roswell Road around 1:45 a.m.

Surveillance video from the business shows the moment a vehicle crashed into the building.

"Glass and debris flew all the way to the back of the salon…destroyed polish racks, air tables, air drying tables," Tran explained. "Whoever it is, took out like a cinderblock column…the next unit has ceiling damage, wall damage, my ceilings damaged," he added. 

Police say the 17-year-old driving that car was under the influence. The teen was arrested and charged with DUI, driving without consent, driving without a license, and failure to notify the owner of striking a fixed object.

"You’re destroying a place of business…you’re affecting families when you’re being out there and just not being responsible," Tran stated.

Police say no one was seriously injured. While he told FOX 5 he’s grateful they were able to re-open quickly, it will likely cost tens of thousands of dollars to fix the damage, in addition to replacing salon supplies that were impacted. 

The business is open during its regular hours. Tran is urging anyone celebrating "All Hallow’s Eve" to do so responsibly.