Advertisement

Flying turkey smashes into food truck’s windshield, co-owner says. ‘Felt like a bomb’

A flying wild turkey smashed into the window of a food truck as it drove down a highway in North Carolina, the co-owner told McClatchy News.

Dan Grayson, who owns the Los Gordos Bistro food truck with his wife, Fabiola Olmedo, said the two were driving southeast from Elkin at around 6:30 p.m. on March 25 when, a few miles south of Yadkinville, he saw a wild turkey fly up from the side of the road.

The turkey, which he estimated weighed around 20-25 pounds, flew directly in front of the truck. Grayson said he couldn’t swerve, and the massive bird smashed into the windshield.

The windshield cracked about halfway across before the bird glanced off the side, caught the rearview mirror support rod and bent it backward, he said. This caused the side window glass to explode, sending shards all over the inside of the truck, he said.

“It felt like a bomb going off,” he said.

Grayson and Olmedo were “shaken,” he said. The two continued for about a half-mile down the road before stopping and making a report with highway patrol, he said.

WGHP reported that highway patrol troopers “confirmed that a wild turkey hit the truck and added that these kinds of accidents are rare.”

“It’s almost like hitting a concrete block,” Grayson said. “You cannot imagine the noise this thing made.”

He said he and his wife were uninjured except for a cut on his forearm.

He said the truck, which the couple launched in September, specializes in lobster dishes, including lobster rolls, lobster tacos and lobster quesadillas. The business is based in Clemmons, about 115 miles west of Raleigh, but travels to different types of events in and out of the state.

“We do this business because it’s fun and we like to deal with people,” he said. “What was a hobby has now turned into a full-time business.”

He said the damage caused by the turkey accident will cost between $4,000 and $5,000, and the truck will be out of commission for a week or more.

But overall, he said he was thankful the outcome wasn’t worse.

“It was just a really freak accident,” he said. “I hope it never happens again.”

Yadkinville is about 130 miles west of Raleigh.

Food truck worker shoots and kills armed robber, Texas police say

Car flies into Chick-fil-A drive-thru, flips truck after running stop sign, SC cops say

Wienermobile hit by catalytic converter thieves, stranding it in Las Vegas. ‘No way’