Police: Man faces DWI charge after crashing through restaurant window in Melville

A West Babylon man was arrested, charged with drunken driving, after he rear-ended another car on Route 110 in Melville -- then crashed through the front window of a nearby restaurant.

The accident occurred at about 10:20 p.m. Wednesday, Suffolk County police said.

There were no serious injuries in the accident, and two employees in the restaurant, the Gourmet Wok, also were not injured.

John Shepard, 59, was charged with driving while intoxicated and held overnight at the Third Precinct. He faces arraignment Thursday in First District Court in Central Islip.

Police said Shepard was headed southbound on Route 110 when he crashed his 2009 Ford sport utility vehicle into the back of a 2015 Chevrolet near the intersection of Schwab Road.

Neither the man driving the Chevy or his female passenger was seriously injured, police said. They were not named by police.

The SUV then continued through the intersection, police said, and across a parking lot -- into the front window of the restaurant. The front window was destroyed and the frame damaged, police said.

Volunteers from the Melville Fire Department responded to the scene and, an official said, a seating area inside the restaurant also was damaged.

Officials said Town of Huntington building inspectors were trying to determine if there was any structural damage. A town fire marshal also responded to the scene.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”