A driver crashed into a winery near Big Run, leaving a big hole in the building.

It happened at the groundhog winery in the 13000 block of Route 36. Now the business owners and friends are trying to clean up the damage left behind, just weeks after opening the winery to customers for the first time.

We spoke with the owners as they examined the damage to the building.

The pickup left skid marks on Route 36, crossed a ditch and went into the building.

“We heard a big crash and I told her now that don’t sound like thunder,” says winery vice-president Samuel Martin.

In the dark around 11 p.m. Wednesday, Martin and his wife could see the Groundhog Winery sign intact from their home. They didn’t notice the hole in the building until a neighbor arrived.

“She came over, rang the doorbell, and said somebody just went through your building,” says Martin.

“There was a truck inside the building There was a big concern about the building collapsing, but luckily it didn’t when they took the truck out,” says winery president Donna Maines-Martin.

The Martins say the disoriented driver was cut on the head.

“He had just crawled out and was actually sitting in the ditch,” says Donna.

“He said there were two other people in the vehicle, but we didn’t find anybody,” says Samuel.

Witnesses say they believe the driver wasn’t buckled in properly and luckily, landed away from a beam.

“I’m really thankful that the guy didn’t get killed because as much damage as there was here and there was a 4×4 through the window of his truck,” says Samuel.

The Martins grew up together in Florida, and got married last year. Now, the winery they just opened on Memorial Day weekend is a disaster.

“Terrible time. I mean, the building’s been here over 100 years and nobody ever hit it before and now, after doing all this work and everything and then this happens,” says Donna.

Friends from the Lions Club helped with the cleanup on Thursday.

Mrs. Maines-Martin says she invested $150,000 to update the old tractor shed and buildings. Now, as she waits for her grapes to ripen, she’s not sure how they will harvest them.

“There’s a lot of structural damage that I don’t know if it can be fixed,” says Maines-Martin.

Witnesses say the driver was taken by helicopter to Altoona for treatment. There’s no word yet on his condition, or if he’s facing any charges.