GB Barnhill's back to business after crash
BY BRADLEY "B.J." DAVIS, JR. Gulf Breeze News bjdavis@gulfbreezenews.com

Submitted by Craig Williams Patricia Lynch of Gulf Breeze ran her car into the front of Barnhill's Buffet in Gulf Breeze on Saturday, Jan. 20. Florida Highway Patrol say alcohol was involved and charges are pending.

It's business as usual at Barnhill's Buffet after Gulf Breeze resident Patricia Lynch, 45, drove her Jeep SUV into a parked car and then into the front of the building. According to Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), around 8 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 20, Lynch was traveling westbound on Hwy. 98 and entered the restaurant parking lot on Oriole Beach Road at a speed somewhere between 45 to 55 mph. Lynch struck a parked Ford Mustang spinning it into an adjacent parking place. She continued over a drainage pond and into the building.

"It appears to me there is superficial damage to the building," said general manager Craig Williams. Once she went over the drainage pond, she was pretty much airborne. It definitely impacted the front of the building." Williams said there were patrons in the restaurant in the area Lynch struck at the time of the crash.

"There were eight to ten people right there in that area when she impacted," said Williams. FHP officials say Lynch suffered minor injuries and Williams said no one was hurt inside the restaurant.

"(FHP's) estimation was that if the (parked) car were not there and she hit the building first, the damage would have been worse," said Williams.

FHP reports alcohol was involved in the accident and charges are still pending.

As for Barnhill's employees, they are pressing on with their normal routine. They concur that the accident is certainly something to talk about.

"Quite a few people have inquired. They say 'I hear you tried to put in a new entrance into the building Saturday night,'" said Williams.