Atlanta

Restaurant closes after cars keep slamming into it

ATLANTA — A popular restaurant in Atlanta's Old Fourth Ward is closed indefinitely after two cars slammed into it this summer.

Surveillance video shows a car crashing through the front wall of Ammazza pizzeria and into a water pipe in June.

"Car came straight at the building. Hit it right here (and) came through the brick," owner Hugh Connerty said.

The crash sent water rushing through the restaurant and under the foundation.

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"There were some geysers coming out of the ground, here, there, three or four of them," Connerty said.

The restaurant closed and Connerty put together a plan to fix the restaurant. When repairs were set to begin, another car crashed into the building.

"I couldn't believe it happened when I saw it. Just disbelief," Connerty said.

The second car slammed through the front wall, just four feet from the hole left by the other car.

"It's been stressful. It would have been ideal not to have this happen," Connerty said.

The owner blames the T-shaped intersection or Randolph and Edgewood in front of his restaurant.

Ammazza sits at the top of the "T" and Connerty said he'd like the city to add flashing light, speed bumps or a guardrail to make his restaurant less of a target for approaching cars.

Channel 2's Justin Wilfon contacted the City of Atlanta, and a spokesperson told him the city will send an engineer to evaluate the intersection and look for potential improvements.

Connerty hopes to start repairs again soon, but the restaurant likely will not open until early next year.