LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) – — A man is recovering under guard at a hospital after police say he drove a stolen security vehicle through the front entrance of the Fayette Mall.
The mall was closed Friday night when a Honda security vehicle crashed through the entrance next to H&M. The building opened as usual for business on Saturday.
H&M employee Jayzun Bradshaw finished his shift and left shortly before the crash happened.
"I got off work and I had received like several text messages from people telling me that a vehicle had crashed through the entrance like right at H&M there,” Bradshaw said. “I was honestly in disbelief but I looked it up and saw everything for myself. I was kinda in shock because it was, what, like thirty minutes to an hour after I got off work. Had I have been just a little bit late to getting out of there, I would have came right out them doors."
The man was charged with stealing an automobile, fleeing and reckless driving, and burglary of the mall. Police say the man had narcotics in his system, and he is recovering under guard at the hospital. Crews cleaned up the entrance overnight, and the mall opened at its normal time Saturday morning. Wooden boards replaced the broken doors as the only sign of any incident. Most shoppers went about business as usual.
Bradshaw did not seem overly shocked by the crash.
"I don't pay much attention to the parking lots much so I just figured it must have been some sort of accident but when I got there today there's a big divider right in the dead center so it had to have been deliberate."
While some customers chattered about an increase of criminal activity around the mall, Bradshaw feels the area is pretty safe still.
“There's been times when I needed to wait on a ride, and I've been out there sometimes an hour and a half, and it'll be dark out. Never had any issues before, it's always been safe in there, I've never had any concern regarding that. I only started working here maybe six or seven months ago and in that time period nothing really crazy has happened. This is the first major thing.”
