Some stories are worth telling twice, and this one from Pierce County definitely qualifies. The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office report from a year ago is once again making the rounds online, and it is easy to see why. What started as a simple attempt to tow a broken-down car from an AutoZone parking lot in University Place turned into an early-morning demolition derby that left a local restaurant picking up the pieces, literally, not once but twice.
According to deputies, the whole ordeal began the evening before the crash, when a maroon vehicle broke down and was left parked at the AutoZone. The driver reportedly told employees he would be back later to tow it away since it was not running properly. That return trip did happen, but not exactly according to plan. Surveillance footage reviewed by deputies shows a white Honda Pilot pulling up with a dolly in the middle of the night to attempt the tow.
What followed was a series of mishaps that would make even the most patient mechanic throw up their hands. The tow strap gave out not once, not twice, but three separate times, and each failure sent the disabled vehicle rolling in directions nobody wanted. The worst of it came when the car rolled straight into the Pho and Teriyaki restaurant, causing serious damage to the entrance. If that sounds bad, hold on, because the same restaurant took a second hit before the night was over…