A vehicle crashed into a historic downtown Athens building Wednesday morning, causing a partial collapse that sent authorities scrambling to shut down streets near the University of Georgia campus. Police say the crash occurred at the corner of North Jackson and East Broad streets; photos showed the vehicle had hit Magnolias Bar of Athens, a longtime fixture there, leaving the structure's integrity in question.
According to Atlanta News First, the crash happened at the intersection of E Broad Street and N Jackson Street, per the Athens-Clarke County Police Department. Photos published by the outlet showed the vehicle had hit Magnolias Bar of Athens, which the station described as a popular spot on the edge of UGA's campus. The bar itself describes its home as a converted historic building, noting on its website that it first opened in 2009 after taking over the previous Tasty World Lounge space, according to Magnolias Bar of Athens.
The Red & Black reported that the crash happened at approximately 7:45 a.m. and caused significant damage to the building. Athens-Clarke County Public Information Officer Katie Jenkins told the student newspaper that the structural integrity of the building is of top concern at the moment, underscoring why officials moved quickly to cordon off the area.
Conflicting Details on the Vehicle and Street Closures
Exactly what kind of vehicle caused the damage remains unclear, with reports differing on the point. Atlanta News First described it simply as a car, while a Red & Black photo caption identified it as a truck. The discrepancy has not been resolved in available reporting.
The extent of the street closure is similarly disputed. The Red & Black reported that E. Broad Street was closed between College Avenue and N. Thomas Street, citing an email from Athens-Clarke County police. Classic City News, however, reported that East Broad Street was closed between North Thomas and North Lumpkin streets specifically due to the danger of the building collapsing. Atlanta News First's own account said police asked the public to avoid E Broad Street from Lumpkin Street to Thomas Street and the surrounding side streets while crews worked to clean up debris from the crash.
Injuries and Investigation Still Unclear
It remains unclear whether anyone was injured in the crash, Atlanta News First reported. Classic City News also reported that the Georgia State Patrol was investigating the incident and that the truck had crashed during a police pursuit.
No final structural assessment, repair timeline, or official explanation for what caused the crash has been released. Atlanta News First said it had reached out to officials for more information as the situation continued to develop Wednesday. For now, downtown Athens residents and UGA-area visitors are being urged to steer clear of the block while crews assess the damage and work to clear debris from the scene.
