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It's been more than a month since a high speed chase led to a crash at a Sioux Falls strip mall and put South Dakota State Trooper Andrew Steen in the hospital.
Also involved in the crash was a store front at the corner of 57th Street and Western Avenue. The owner of David Jones is now trying to help out Trooper Steen's family, while his shop is still recovering. "The handicap signs had been cut down like a blade of grass. Just mowed over and there was glass stuck in the wall almost as if a hurricane had flung it through there. That's just how hard the store was hit," said David Jones.
David Jones is the owner of David Jones men's clothing store in Sioux Falls. On October 17th the front of Jones's store was destroyed during a high speed chase. "I looked it up online and found that our store is on the front of the news, talking about this whole accident happening right in front of our store," said Mary Jones, David Jones's wife.
The driver of the car, Rachel Coleman, now sits in jail facing charges that could send her to prison for the rest of her life.
Jones had to shut down his business for two weeks, as he picked up the pieces of his shattered store. "It becomes so much more real when you see bullets and glass that has been flown everywhere and there's a car that's stuck in the front of your doorway," said David Jones.
Even though his store was severely damaged in the accident, Jones and his wife Mary decided they weren't the ones that really needed the most help right now. "My wife and I talked about it and we thought this would be a great opportunity to bring the Sioux Falls community together to show how much we care about Trooper Steen and his heroic actions in trying to stop this drunk driver," said David Jones.
Trooper Andrew Steen is still recovering from his injuries after being run over during that crash. Now Jones and his wife are holding a special event to show the trooper's family they aren't alone. "The way we plan on doing it is simply by slashing prices and having an event like our store has never had before. A sale to raise funds and do repairs and make a contribution to the trooper's family," said David Jones.
Jones says he's just grateful for those like Trooper Steen, who serve our community. "These guys are risking their lives for us, and it doesn't necessarily happen every day, but whenever they're the ones who have to answer that call and this is just a way of saying thank you," David Jones said.
The David Jones sales last up until the week of Christmas. Jones hopes to raise 20-thousand dollars. There is also a card for community members to sign, and Jones hopes ten thousand people will sign it. Jones is hoping to deliver the card, along with the money raised, to the Steen family on Christmas Eve.
