What’s With All The Cars Crashing Into Grand Rapids Stores This Year?

There are plenty of things everyone loves to complain about when it comes to drivers or driving in general: people driving too fast, too slow, someone on their phone when they shouldn't be. Or maybe it's the roads themselves; it feels like there's always construction going on, and Michigan's potholes are famous enough to have an ice cream name attached to them.

Get our free mobile app

But this year, there's been a new trend of cars driving through storefronts. It's usually a pretty uncommon event you might hear about now and then, but this year, there have been over four instances, 3 of which happened in a very short time. So we're going to recap each of these crazy stories of cars parking where they shouldn't.

Car Crashes Into Cascade Meijer: December 4, 2024

Okay, so our first one wasn't technically this year, but it is within the last 11 months, so we're using it to kick off this list. Last year, people were shocked to learn that the Meijer in Cascade had been closed after a car plowed through the glass into the customer service area. 

The driver, a 29-year-old man, crashed while suffering a "medical episode". Four people were injured in the accident, and while two were transported to the hospital, none had major injuries.

Alpine Chipotle Becomes A Drive-Thru: August

Chipotle is known for being a fast-casual restaurant, not known for having drive-thrus. However, the Alpine location closed after a man drove through the front door. While it isn't known what caused the crash, reports indicate the driver backed out of the building and drove farther in.

@sawyer.liftz I was in line and in front of the window…#fyp #foryou #fypシ #viral #chipotle ♬ Queen of Disaster - ella

I like to think it was someone who wasn't pleased with his order and decided to let the employees know, very casually. And by that I mean driving through the front of the building. But nothing was ever confirmed, so it was mostly just an accident.

Car Crashes Into Walgreens: November 8th, 2025

While the Meijer crash was shocking because it involved Michigan's very own Meijer, the car that crashed into the Walgreens on the East Beltline was surprising because of the photo released by the Kent County Sheriff's Office. The front of this car was obliterated.

Thankfully, the store was closed, and no one was inside. Law enforcement stated the man was driving under the influence and fled the scene after the crash.

READ MORE: This Car Crash Collapsed A Building In Grand Rapids

Car Drives Into Jenison Dollar Tree: November 20th, 2025

Then comes the most recent business in Grand Rapids to see a car parked inside rather than in the parking lot. This one happened in Jension after an 84-year-old man hit a parked car in the parking lot. 

Apparently, he hadn't yet finished hitting things, because the man plowed through the front door, going 40 feet into the store before stopping. Two people were injured, and both went to the hospital.

Hopefully, we don't see any more crashes like this that jeopardize both the drivers and the people inside the building. But these ridiculous crashes have put a real spotlight on drunk driving and distracted driving.