When the wall comes tumbling in

COEUR d'ALENE — David Jensen was mopping at work Tuesday morning when his instincts screamed for him to scram.

The employee at Pauli's Tattoos in downtown Coeur d'Alene heard a "loud bang" followed by another — with incoming traffic.

A Chevy Aveo crashed into the northeast corner of the business at the intersection of Fourth Street and Lakeside Avenue, leaving a hole in the cinderblock side and sending Jensen, who was inside just a few feet away, scurrying for safety.

"I almost jumped out of my pants," Jensen said. "The first bang was the car hitting the curb and second was the building.

"I feel like I pulled a muscle in my back (getting out of the way)."

When Jensen checked on the 37-year-old male driver from Coeur d'Alene, Jensen said he was "snoring."

"We were talking to him loud but he wouldn't wake up," Jensen said. "He didn't wake up until after police came. He was laying so that his head was on the passenger seat."

Coeur d'Alene Police spokesman Jared Reneau said the man, whose name was unavailable, was transported to Kootenai Health with minor injuries after he crashed due to having a medical episode.

The car was headed westbound on Lakeside when the crash occurred around 7 a.m. No citations were issued.

Pauli Wesselmann, owner of the tattoo shop, said he was home when he received a call about the crash.

"I just live down the street, so I was able to get here quickly," he said, adding both he and the owner of the building have insurance.

Reneau said an inspector deemed the building safe to occupy. Even though the crash left a hole in the side of the building, the smashed front of the car did not enter the building.