A local man is charged with DUI and child endangerment for causing a crash with juveniles in his car that damaged a gourmet grocery on Georgia Avenue in North Augusta.
North Augusta Public Safety arrested Christopher Lorenzo Curtis, 34, of Albany Avenue in Augusta after the Tuesday crash in the 500 block of Georgia Avenue.
According to an incident report, Curtis had picked up his 12-year-old daughter and another 13-year-old girl from playing basketball at Riverview Park. The girls told police he was “going fast” when the wreck occurred.
Curtis’ grey GMC Yukon slammed into a blue Ford Explorer, pushing it into Town Square Olive Oil & Wine. The wreck also damaged a white Hyundai parked nearby, the report said.
Field sobriety testing revealed Curtis was unable to maintain his balance and swayed and hopped during the test. A bottle of cognac was found in his center console.
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Curtis faced child deprivation charges in Richmond County two years ago. He also has a long list of traffic convictions in Richmond County, including drunk driving, driving too fast for conditions, having no license, driving with a suspended license and not wearing a seat belt.
The owner of the business estimated the wreck had caused approximately $65,000 in damage. The business’ entire front wall, plate glass window and awning were damaged or destroyed.
North Augusta Public safety said there were only minor injuries in the vehicle, and that no one was in the business when the crash occurred.
Curtis was taken to the hospital for an evaluation before being booked into the Aiken County Detention Center for DUI, two counts of child endangerment, transporting alcohol with the seal broken and failing to possess a driver’s license.
The girls were turned over to their mothers and both were taken to a local hospital for evaluation.
The impacted business, which is currently boarded up, opened in North Augusta just last year. It offers numerous varieties of olive oils and vinegars, choice meats and fishes, craft beer and wine and other gourmet items.
The business posted an image on their Facebook page Wednesday morning with a comic message to customers.
“Now offering drive-thru service,” the post said. “Just kidding but on a serious note- THANK YOU to everyone who checked on us and helped clean up/close up after this fiasco last night. We are truly blessed to be part of such a wonderful community and couldn’t ask for better neighbors, friends and family. We are OPEN normal business hours and look forward to seeing everyone! The back entrance is open as we work on the front. Look for the bright green brick!”
Greg Rickabaugh, Stephanie Hill and Susan McCord contributed to this report.
