Wheeling Eggsperience back open after car crashes into facade

Aside from the plywood affixed to the east side of the building, it’s business as usual at a Wheeling restaurant that was struck by an SUV over the weekend.

A driver entering the Wheeling Town Center complex crashed into a glass side door at Eggsperience Cafe, 419 W. Dundee Road, about 9 p.m. Friday, police said. The restaurant was closed for the evening and no one was inside at the time.

The 52-year-old woman driving the Honda Pilot had fallen asleep behind the wheel, Police Chief Joseph Kopecky said Monday. She wasn’t hurt and was ticketed for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident.

“Falling asleep behind the wheel can have devastating consequences,” Kopecky said in an email. “We encourage all drivers to recognize the signs of fatigue and never hesitate to stop and rest when they are too tired to drive safely.”

The crash didn’t cause any structural damage to the building, Kopecky said.

The restaurant typically is open daily from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., but it was closed most of Saturday because of the crash, a manager said. It was open to customers as usual starting Sunday, though — just with a few tables near the plywood closed off.

A long string of yellow safety tape — secured around a light post, a tree and a patio umbrella — remained in place Monday to keep people away from the damaged part of the building. The restaurant’s front door, which is on the west side of the building, was unaffected.