Pickens Police Chief Travis Riggs got a startle a few weeks ago when he was walking down Main Street in Pickens visiting downtown businesses. Riggs was actually in Brock’s Department Store talking to the store owner, Glenn Brock, when a truck busted through the store’s front window.

Riggs said he ran out thinking someone was in the truck only to open the vehicle’s door and find it empty. The truck was in reverse and still running. Riggs put it in park and turned it off. The owner was across the street.

The owner had pulled into a parking space by the courthouse on Court Street. He got out to speak with the painters and did not pull the shifter all the way up into park. When he got out, the truck slowly backed out and crossed all four lanes of Main Street without striking anything and curved in between two parking spaces. It then hopped the curb and ran into the store front of Brock’s.

“It was good to see a lot of people checking on Mr. Brock and trying to help,” Riggs said. “I love Pickens, where everyone looks after each other.” At right, Riggs and Brock survey the scene following the accident.

(above) is the store window that was destroyed.