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WARRICK COUNTY, Ind. — A car plowed through the glass storefront of a former car dealership on Highway 62 in Boonville on Thursday, April 17, 2025, leaving heavy damage behind, according to Warrick County officials.
The crash took place in the mid-afternoon along the section of Highway 62 between Squaw Creek Road and John Bull Road. The vehicle went through the front window of the unoccupied commercial building and came to rest inside what used to be a car lot.
Officials with the Warrick County Sheriff’s Office and Boonville Fire Department responded to the scene. Investigators confirmed that structural damage to the building was extensive, though no immediate word was available on any injuries.
The building, once used for vehicle sales, has a large glass façade and wide entry doors, a design that left little resistance when the car left the roadway.
Photos taken from the scene show the front of the building collapsed inward, with broken glass scattered across the pavement and the car’s front end lodged inside the structure. The impact also damaged part of a wall near the entrance.
Warrick County officials say the crash is under investigation. They have not said whether speed, driver error, or a possible medical issue played a role in the incident.
As crews worked to stabilize the building, heavy-duty tow trucks were called in to pull the car back out through the opening. A protective barrier was set up around the site to keep onlookers away from the unstable section of the building.
No public information has been released about the driver, including whether that person was transported to a hospital. WFIE has reached out to authorities for an official statement and is waiting for a response.
Less than 30 minutes after the crash was reported, dispatchers received calls about a fire in Newburgh, a nearby community in Warrick County.
Emergency crews were stretched across two incidents in the span of half an hour, with personnel responding to both the building collapse and the blaze. Officials have not said whether the two events are connected, and the cause of the fire remains unclear.
WFIE crews are working to reach both scenes and gather more information.
The Newburgh fire was initially described as a structure fire, but firefighters at the scene have not yet confirmed the extent of the damage or whether anyone was inside at the time.
This stretch of Highway 62 is a busy commercial corridor for Warrick County. It is lined with retail buildings, auto shops, and former dealership properties, many of which sit close to the roadway with little protection between traffic and glass storefronts.
Safety experts point out that standard glass storefronts offer almost no resistance to a moving vehicle. Even at low speeds, a typical passenger car can break through a glass wall and continue into a building’s interior. The risk increases dramatically on roads with higher speed limits and frequent access points, such as driveways and parking lot entrances.
Across Indiana, several municipalities have considered adding bollards, reinforced concrete barriers, or impact-rated framing to protect commercial facades after similar crashes. The condition of the building damaged Thursday will likely intensify those discussions locally.
Chuck Sexton, a former chief building inspector with more than 30 years of experience in southwestern Indiana, said commercial property owners often underestimate what happens when a car hits a storefront.
“Glass never stops a vehicle. It just shatters,” Sexton said. “Once the car hits, it’s going to keep moving until something much heavier stops it. These older dealership buildings weren’t built with impact safety in mind.”
Sexton noted that modern building codes have improved in some areas, especially for new construction near parking lots, but older roadside buildings remain at risk.
“A bollard is a small investment compared to the cost of a collapse, not to mention the danger to people inside,” he said.
The crash Thursday did not cause damage to any neighboring businesses, according to initial reports. However, the former dealership building will likely be closed until an engineer determines whether it is safe to occupy.
The Warrick County Highway Department was also notified because debris scattered onto portions of Highway 62. Minor lane closures were put in place to allow cleanup crews and emergency vehicles to move through safely.
Motorists traveling between Boonville and Newburgh should expect intermittent delays in the area while the investigation continues.
Warrick County officials ask anyone who witnessed the crash or has cell phone video to contact the sheriff’s office.
The rebuilding process, if any, will depend on insurance assessments and building inspection results. For now, the priority remains making sure the structure is stable and removing the vehicle without causing further damage.
WFIE will continue following both the Highway 62 crash and the Newburgh fire as new details develop.
Authorities are expected to release the driver’s identity later Thursday evening as well as more specific information about what caused the vehicle to leave the roadway.
Fire investigators in Newburgh are also working to determine the origin and cause of that blaze. No additional information has been made available yet.
