WACO, Texas — A car rammed into a business on 25th Street on Wednesday evening. Waco Neighborhod Reporter Dominique Leh spoke with some business owners who said this isn’t the first time something like this has happened. In fact, since November we have covered four separate instances of a car crashing into a building on 25th Street.
- 12 years ago, Rudy’s transmission added 6.5-foot concrete barriers in front of their building hoping to keep cars from hitting their business.
- 5 years ago, a car crashed into the corner of Tortilleria Bustos, also on 25th street.
- Both businesses attribute the crashes to high speeds.
- Waco Police Department said they have officers monitor the area frequently and sometimes have a radar trailer to tracking speed.
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“I only saw dust and then I saw the tail end of the car,” said Miriam Gonzales.
Miriam Gonzales rushed outside her families business Wednesday evening.
“I was in the office and I heard a loud noise,” she said.
That’s when she found a car completely inside the building next door. She tells me it was a young driver speeding.
“There used to be a lot of accidents. The cars would come at night and would wreck our clients cars,” she said.
Gonzales has worked at Rudy’s tTansmission on 25th street for more than 40 years.
Years ago, cars would crash into her family’s business on a regular basis.
“It looks like we’re in prison, but at least this way the cars are protected,” she said.
Twelve years ago, Rudy’s Transmission added 6.5-foot concrete barriers in front of their building hoping to keep cars from hitting their business.
“They still hit sometimes, but it’s not as much as before,” she said.
Just 5 years ago, a car crashed into the corner of Tortilleria Bustos, also on 25th street.
“We get a little worried because we’re working and we cant see outside, and it could just come out of nowhere,” said Andres Bustos.
Both businesses attribute the crashes to speed and reckless driving.
“Cars are going 45-50 miles per hour,” said Bustos.
I reached out to Waco PD, they say they’re officers monitor the area frequently and sometimes have a radar trailer to tracking speed.
“Our officers monitor the area frequently and sometimes we have our radar trailer out as well to capture data on speed in the area as well.”
Gonzales tells me something needs to change before someone gets hurt.
“My worst fear is that someone will crash really bad here and they’ll die. That’s what I’m scared of,” said Gonzales.
In December a vehicle damaging the front of 25th Street Furniture. That instance was also caused by speed. The furniture store owner tells me the owner of this vehicle was never found.
The 25th Street corridor project will continue to have meetings asking for business and community members to choose ways to make 25th Street safer. Options like a two way street instead of a one way or having wider sidewalks. The next planning commission meeting open to the public is March 26th.
You can find more details on the corridor project here.
