SUV crashes into Roy’s Foodland in Auburn, striking gas line and damaging store

Two people were injured Friday night after the SUV driven by Casey McKenney, 29, of Auburn, and her passenger, Gregory Brooks, 48, also of Auburn, collided with the front of Roy’s Foodland at 70 Broad St. in Auburn. The vehicle struck a gas line and caused significant damage to the store, according to Auburn police. (Courtesy of Auburn Police Department)

Two Auburn residents were injured late Friday when the SUV they were in hit Roy’s Foodland at 70 Broad St. in Auburn, striking a natural gas line going into the store and causing significant structural damage, according to the Auburn Police Department’s Facebook page.

Driver Casey McKenney, 29, and passenger Gregory Brooks, 48, were extricated from the 2013 Nissan Juke by the Auburn Fire Department.

Auburn officers responded to the scene at about 11:24 p.m. and found the crossover SUV had struck the front of the store. A preliminary investigation revealed that the vehicle had been traveling at a high rate of speed before the driver lost control.

Both McKenney and Brooks were taken by an ambulance to Central Maine Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries, the release states.

“Speed and alcohol are believed to be contributing factors in the crash, which remains under investigation by Auburn Police Department,” police wrote.

McKenney was issued a summons on a misdemeanor charge of driving to endanger, Deputy police Chief Timothy Cougle wrote in an email Monday.

The results of a blood test will determine if additional criminal charges are filed, he wrote. A conviction on the driving to endanger charge carries a maximum six months in jail.

The crash report has a preliminary estimate of about $10,000 damage to the building.

Significant structural damage was caused Friday night to Roy’s Foodland at 70 Broad St. in Auburn after an SUV collided with the building. (Courtesy of Auburn Police Department)

Store owner Michael Roy said he believes the cost of fixing the damage will be higher. He is getting estimates on the brick work. He said the accident damaged the bricks and bowed them out, and the store windows above it were also damaged.

No leaking was caused when the natural gas line was struck on the outside of the building, he said.  

Roy was at the store from about 11:30 p.m. on Friday and stayed until 4 a.m. on Saturday and went and got some sleep and returned at in time to open the store up for the day.