Owner feeling ‘shock and disbelief’ after allegedly impaired driver hits Saskatoon store

Anyone who’s ever travelled knows there can be unexpected surprises when you’re away from home.

But when Candis Bloski left Saskatoon and headed to the lake this week, she never expected her trip would be disrupted by news that a vehicle had driven into the front window of her store, Details At Home, on Eighth Street East.

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“Shock. Shock and disbelief, I guess, would be my reaction,” Bloski said in a phone interview with 650 CKOM.

According to the Saskatoon Police Service, officers responded to a report of a possible impaired driver in a parking lot in the 3900 block of Eighth Street East at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday.

Police said when officers arrived and approached the vehicle, “the driver accelerated and drove into the building.”

The damage to the business appeared to be confined mainly to the front of the store. The window was smashed and boarded up, and broken glass could be seen on the floor inside.

While windows can be repaired and damaged merchandise can be replaced, Bloski said she was more disappointed by the events that led up to the incident than the crash itself.

“I think that’s a major point that people in society still continue to do that and put other people’s lives at risk,” Bloski said.

“It’s extremely disheartening to know that people continue to drink and drive.”

The 36-year-old driver of the vehicle refused to comply with a breath demand, police said. He has been charged with impaired driving, refusal to comply with a demand, driving while prohibited and breaching court-imposed conditions.

Saskatoon Police Service confirmed to 650 CKOM the vehicle involved in the crash had a licence plate that didn’t match the vehicle and that the driver, “has a Canada wide driving prohibition.”

The interior of Details At Home after it was struck by a vehicle. (Simon Hiatt/650 CKOM)

Details At Home has been in business since 2000, and Bloski has owned the store since 2008. She said she hopes the store, which sells women’s clothing, will be back to normal soon.

“They’ll keep the boards up for safety, and we will wait to see how quickly it can get repaired,” Bloski said.

Bloski said people have been “very supportive” following the crash.

“We will be back,” she promised.

“It’s a busy time of year with seasons changing. So yeah, customers want to show up. We will reopen, hopefully quickly,” Bloski added.

“I’m just very happy that nobody was injured in the process.”