The Crow's Nest, a longtime family-run restaurant and bar in Ashtabula, is gearing up to reopen in roughly two to two-and-a-half weeks after a pickup truck slammed into the building and triggered a fire that killed the driver. In the weeks since, the Detore family and their staff have been putting in marathon days to clean and rebuild, while neighbors and local fundraisers have stepped up to help employees stay afloat during the shutdown.
"Some of these guys are coming in at 2 a.m. and starting their day so they can get out for the next round of people," RJ Detore, the restaurant's general manager and the owner's son, told News 5 Cleveland. Crews have been swapping out HVAC units, ripping out damaged sections of ceiling and hauling away ruined equipment as they hustle to get the dining room back into working order.
What happened April 10
According to WOIO, troopers with the Ohio State Highway Patrol were called around 3:05 a.m. on April 10 to a single-vehicle crash at the intersection of State Route 531 and State Route 11. Investigators say a 2009 Chevrolet Silverado veered off the road and hit a concrete barrier, a fence and a house before coming to rest inside the Crow's Nest, where it caught fire. The driver, 52-year-old John Yerkey of Salem, Ohio, was ejected from the truck and pronounced dead at the scene. The crash remains under investigation.
Damage, repairs and community support
"The structural damage was minimal, but the smoke and water damage was really extensive and a lot more than any of us anticipated," RJ Detore said, noting that the restaurant's walk-in cooler and freezer were destroyed and much of the back of the building needed serious cleanup. Multiple fundraisers over the last three weeks have brought in thousands of dollars, money RJ says will go straight to staff while the business stays dark. Co-owner Nick Detore told News 5 Cleveland they are pushing contractors hard and expect to reopen in about two to two-and-a-half weeks.
The Detore family opened the Crow's Nest in 1992, and they say the goal now is to return "better and stronger." For the moment, city crews and the family remain focused on repairs and on supporting employees while the Ohio State Highway Patrol continues its investigation.
