Car crashes into Connecticut liquor store -- and driver gets a DUI charge

A woman charged with DUI after her car slammed through a Connecticut liquor store  is blaming it all on Nyquil and Armor All.

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A car driven by Sharon Brooks, 63, of East Haven crossed over the sidewalk and crashed through the front entrance of Yankee Discount Liquor at 664 Foxon Road around 2:30 p.m. Friday, according to police.

See the video and original report at NBCConnecticut.com

The car continued halfway into the store, striking the counter, crushing displays of wine and injuring an employee inside. The worker was transported to Yale-New Haven Hospital with what police called minor injuries.

Brooks was charged with driving under the influence and reckless driving. 

As she left East Haven Police headquarters, Brooks spoke exclusively to NBC Connecticut.

"I have a cold," Brooks said. 

When asked if she had taken cold medicine, Brooks replied, "Nyquil and somebody cleaned the inside of my car and they put Armor All on my brake pad and my foot slipped off the brake pad." 

Brooks further explained what happened by saying, "I never had the whole inside of my car cleaned before and this time I did so it would look really nice, and my foot slipped off the brake."

Deepak Pattani, the store's owner, says he's never seen anything like this crash in his eight years of doing business at this location.

"We were just waiting over there for the customers to come in and all of a sudden the car came in all the way, halfway through the store and we were just shocked," said Pattani.

He says Brooks is a regular customer at the store.

"If I was on alcohol I wouldn't be leaving now," said Brooks, just before she got into a taxi outside the police station.

Workers at the liquor store say they're just thankful things weren't worse.

"If I was cleaning or helping a customer I would have been killed," said Babu Khatiwada, a store employee.

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