Owner stays positive after joyriding teens damage business - East Idaho News
Crime Watch

Owner stays positive after joyriding teens damage business

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IDAHO FALLS — An Idaho Falls business owner remains positive after two joyriding teens smashed into his building on Sunday, Aug. 30.

Although the impact was devastating, the owner of Sunrise Auto Sales, John Empey is wishing the two 16-year-olds well.

“Sometimes we are lucky to live beyond 16. I hope these boys wise up, because they’ve got a lot of life in front of them,” Empey said.

The two teens apparently were having too much fun when they came skidding across Empey’s Truck and Auto, and crash landed into the Sunrise Auto Sales office bathroom.

The vehicle then turned sharply into Empey’s Truck and Auto Repair and hit a pickup truck hauling an ATV.

John’s brother Bruce Empey, owner of Empey’s Truck and Auto next door, caught part of the joy ride on camera. He say’s the incident has made more than a physical impact on the business.

“That really shuts your business down when something goes through there and causes big trouble,” Bruce Empey said. “It shuts your business down, and gets expensive in a hurry.”

The owner’s insurance will be covering the damage, with an anticipated cost of $10,000 to $20,000.

John Empey says he feels bad for the parent of the teen who was driving. He was informed they had recently inherited the car from a deceased family member, and it was the only car they had.

Sunrise Auto is currently doing business regardless of damage, and in several week it should be back to normal.

The teens were booked into the 3-B Detention Center in Bonneville County. They have been charged with unauthorized use or control of a vehicle, obstruction and leaving the scene of an accident.

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