Car crash causes close shave at salon

A customer’s disastrous entrance shortly before 1 p.m. Wednesday shook up workers at the Haircutz salon in Madison Heights, and caused thousands of dollars worth of damage to the building.

Beautician Teresa Simpson said she had just turned to head toward the back of the salon when Gloria Powell, 65, crashed her Honda Accord through the front of the building, sending glass, bricks and furniture flying.

“I had just walked back through from the front of the salon, and (I heard) this big roar,” said Simpson, “and I turn around and I see my boss flying across the salon.”

Salon owner Deborah Spencer suffered bruises and abrasions to one of her legs when the car struck her. She was taken to Lynchburg General Hospital.

Powell, from Lynchburg, had traveled to the salon, at 4802 South Amherst Highway, with the intent of getting a trim, said Sgt. David Cooper, with the Virginia State Police.

Cooper said Powell told police she wasn’t able to stop her car in the parking lot, though repeatedly attempting to press the brake.

Simpson said it was fortunate the accident happened at such a slow time, when no customers were in the salon. She and Spencer were the only two in the building.

“We’d just had two (customers) to walk out about five minutes before this happened,” she said. “Thank goodness.”

Cooper said the car suffered about $4,000 in damage, but the building was another story. He estimated at least $30,000 in damage for the business.

“The whole front half, the windows and doors were taken out, the front desk, computer, I mean half the salon,” Simpson said.

“They’re boarding it up, and right now I don’t know how long it’s going to take to get it back in shape where we can reopen.”

Cooper said Trooper D.T. Wilson didn’t find any problems with the Accord’s brakes when he backed it out of the wrecked structure. He also said it was likely Powell thought she was depressing the brake, but was instead hitting the accelerator.

Powell was charged with reckless driving.