Magnolia Mission Director Becky Bennett is working remotely after a driver crashed a Ford Explorer through the nonprofit’s wall.
Bennett said the collision took place Sunday, Dec. 7, at approximately 8:45 a.m. According to Franklin Police Chief Devin Holland, FPD officers were making an unrelated arrest on Lyle Street when Terry Michael Atkinson, 66, of Franklin sped by the officers and nearly struck a patrol vehicle. Atkinson went on to crash the vehicle at Magnolia Mission, across the intersection of West Main Street and Bidwell Street.
The vehicle destroyed an outer wall of the building and entered the office. The vehicle appeared to have brake issues, Holland said.
The police chief said Atkinson “provided false information to officers about who was driving the vehicle” before surveillance footage provided by Magnolia Mission revealed Atkinson as the driver. Atkinson was later arrested by Macon County Sheriff’s Office and charged with two counts of injury to real property, two counts of resisting a public officer, reckless driving and injury to personal property.
Bennett said no Magnolia Mission volunteers were injured as a result of the crash, as the building was closed and unoccupied at the time. Since the crash, the building has been secured and the hole covered with plywood as a temporary fix. The building’s power meter was removed to minimize fire risk after the crash destroyed multiple wires, but Bennett said once the building had been inspected for risk and the power restored, Magnolia Mission can further cooperate with law enforcement by providing security footage from inside the building.
Magnolia Mission provides resources, such as welcome bags, care packages and grocery cards among other programs to foster, adoptive and kinship families in Western North Carolina. Bennett is the nonprofit’s only full-time employee and will be required to work remotely as a permanent solution is explored. She said the nonprofit and landlord were working with insurance companies to come up with next steps, adding that it was unclear how long it would take to get back up and running.
“Our office hours will change for the next few weeks at least, but please do not hesitate to reach out to us if you need support. While our physical location is damaged, our spirit is not and we will continue to serve the foster, kinship and adoptive families of WNC.”
Magnolia Mission can be reached at 828-634-1153 or at becky@magnoliamission.org.