Driver Charged After Car Slams Into Popular Ice Cream Parlor

A man drove into a southwest suburban Palos Park ice cream parlor Saturday night.

About 11:06 p.m., 28-year-old John Kelsey of Orland Park turned his vehicle onto 86th Avenue from 123rd Street and struck two vehicles, according to Palos Park police. He then veered across the street into the courtyard area of The Plush Horse at 12301 S. 86th Ave., and the vehicle struck a portion of the building.

The ice cream shop had “extensive damage” and part of the building was boarded up, according to a police statement.

Police said the shop will remain open for business

Though the shop had closed for the night, employees were still working and cleaning up, police said. Kelsey refused medical treatment and no other people were injured.

"Plush Horse is probably one of the busiest places in Palos Park from mid-April to October," said Palos Park Police Chief Joe Miller. "[The driver] is lucky it ended the way that it did."

Kelsey is charged with impaired driving, dangerous driving and exceeding the legal blood alcohol level of .08 by three times, the statement said.

“If this incident had happened two hours earlier, it would have been catastrophic,” Miller said in a statement. “The Plush Horse courtyard would have been packed with families and children enjoying their ice cream.”

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