Sleeping Driver Smashes Into Niles Brewery

NILES, IL — An elderly motorist fell asleep behind the wheel and crashed into a Niles brewery Wednesday afternoon, police said. Around 2:45 p.m., officers were called out for a report of a car striking a building in the Golf Glen shopping center.

A 1998 Chevrolet SUV driven by an 84-year-old Chicago man smashed into the tap room's glass windows and hit the wall of a neighboring dollar store, according to Cmdr. Robert Tornabene.

At the time of the crash, there were fewer people than normal Une Année, a microbrewery with a tasting room in Niles at 9082 W. Golf Rd., according to owner Dave Nelson.

But there were four employees at work inside at the time of the accident, even though the taproom was closed to customers on Wednesdays. He said one brewery employee was close to the point of impact.

"It was terrifying for him," Nelson told Patch. "But if we were open at the time it would have been bad."

The SUV missed the bar, missed most of the tables but struck a large barrel that was sent flying across the room.

No one was injured, but his staff was shaken up, Nelson said.

But the brewery has been cleaned up and will be ready to open Thursday at 2 p.m. for its regular hours.

Police said the driver fell asleep at the wheel after having been at the hospital all night with his wife. He was taken to Lutheran General Hospital for observation and was not charged in connection with the crash.