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'ON THE BEAT FOR THE GROTON HERALD':Two Gifts at Donelans

Dear Editor:

I and another customer of Donelan's witnessed a very usual event last Saturday evening as we left Donelan's Market at about 7:45 p.m. I was just about to get into my car (as I faced the liquor store across Main St.) when there was the sound of an explosion, breaking of glass/collision coming from the direction of the center of town, followed by an extremely loud scraping sound.

A large SUV, possibly a Hummer, was sliding on its right front axle traveling left to right, crossing in front of me as it slid down Main St. until it stopped just beyond the far right entrance to Donelan's by the yellow house. A cascade of sparks that must have been 15 -20 feet long trailed behind it. The vehicle came to rest with its front right side nose down. 

Within 15 seconds, Groton Police, blue lights flashing, arrived and communicated to the driver over a loudspeaker. I don't know how the driver maintained enough control not to collide with any the parked car on Main St. as it slid what must have been 75-100 yards. 

I got in my car and turned left out of Donelan's and saw black streaks and fragments of the vehicle's front tire in the roadway. Based on the black skid marks, it looks like the tire might have exploded when it hit the granite curb. I think one or two other vehicles might have been damaged, but not significantly. It is amazing that no one appeared hurt.

 

As a side note, while in the checkout line at Donelan's, the woman in line before me received the stamps that can be used toward a free gift. I am not a collector of stamps, so I asked her if she wanted mine, to which she responded yes. This required her to wait a minute or two for me to finish checking out. 

As we both stood in shock after witnessing the car accident she said, "You gave me two gifts tonight, one got me closer to getting the free coffee maker and two ypu might have saved my life as I easily could have been hit by the sliding SUV as I left the parking lot".  It felt like a scene out of the movie "Back to the Future".

On the beat for the Groton Herald,

Scot Arthur

Connolly Drive

Groton Herald

Mailing Address
P.O. Box 610, Groton, Massachusetts 01450
 

Office
145 Main Street, Groton, Massachusetts 014510
[Prescott Community Center]
 

Telephone: 978-448-6061
 

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