Jeep crashes into Raleigh cigar shop

The driver of a Jeep on Thursday night crashed into a Raleigh cigar shop along Glenwood Avenue.

An arrest warrant states Raleigh police arrested the driver, Michael Peter Radonis, on Thursday at the Virgin Cigars shop located at 8601 Glenwood Ave.

The warrant states Radonis drove into the cigar shop, smashing the front windows and doors.

“I’m hearing this really like – skkrrrrtttt – crash,” Yvette Holder, witness said. “Right so I’m thinking it was like out here on the highway, but the whole building shook like a mini earthquake.”

Yvette Holder, who works next door to Virgin Cigars neighbor, witnessed the entire incident, including the car pulling out and driving away.

“He just went around with the front door stuck on the front of his car,” Holder said.

Radonis, 53, of Holly Springs, is charged with hit-and-run leaving the scene with property damage, injury to real property and reckless driving. Each charge is considered a misdemeanor.

Holder says she feels sorry for the business owners.

“I feel sorry for them, I really do,” Holder said. “People make mistakes, you know.”

WRAL News obtained Ring security footage of the crash from the shop’s owner.

The video shows the driver a white Jeep driving through the shop’s front doors around 9:40 p.m. Thursday at 8601 Glenwood Ave. The crash used glass to shatter and the Jeep’s tires screeched.

Then, the video shows the driver go in reverse and drive away from the shop.

Someone in the video can be heard yelling obscenities.

WRAL News is working to learn more about the circumstances leading up to the crash and whether anyone was injured.

Note: WRAL News has edited the raw video of the crash to remove the obscenities.