Peak State Fit and CycleCafe rallies after hit and run

SALT LAKE CITY — A hit-and-run over the weekend damaged the Peak State Fit and CycleCafe bike shop, and the owner is rallying to get things fixed ahead of the busy spring and summer seasons.

Heather Casey, owner and CEO of Peak State Fit and CycleCafe in Salt Lake City, said she didn’t know about the crash until 8 a.m. Saturday. “My first barista arrived and alerted me … and (I) immediately drove down there. And so what we found was the remnants of the crash.”

A car had hit the front of the shop, leaving a hole where a window used to be and tearing up the wall beneath it.

Police response

Casey said the police were there overnight when the crash occurred at about 2:30 a.m. Saturday, but weren’t able to get in touch with her. She expressed some frustration about the way it was handled.

“I am not sure if it’s police budget cuts or changes since COVID … but simple things like traffic accidents and home crimes — you don’t get assistance from police the way you used to,” she said. “They are relying on insurance to do their police work.”

According to SLCPD, the owner of the car showed up drunk at the scene after police arrived, as the car was being towed. He told officers his car had been stolen and he was “looking for it,” and happened upon them towing it.

But, police said the man’s wallet and cellphone were found in the passenger’s seat of the car when officers arrived. Officers believe he was most likely the driver who smashed into the building, but an arrest has yet to be made in the case.

Casey said she checked her Ring camera and saw footage of the driver fleeing.

“I know details need to be precise and exact,” she said. “Police were looking for evidence, where video shows the suspect’s face. Unfortunately, the only video we have is of the driver running away. Even the Uber driver only saw the suspect from the back.”

The investigation was ongoing as of Tuesday, according to the Salt Lake City Police Department’s Public Information Officer Brent Weisberg.

“There’s still a chance that criminal charges could come from this case,” he said. “But we have to do it right, and that takes time.”

The road ahead for Peak State Fit

Peak State Fit was able to open Monday morning after a weekend of clean-up. However, Casey expects some closures when they start construction to repair the damage.

“We’re licensed with the Salt Lake County Health Department and I will have to notify them that this has happened and they’ll probably let us remain open as long as we’re sealed. As soon as we start construction, I’ll be forced to close.”

Despite the stress, Casey was optimistic about getting things back together in time for the shop’s busy season. And, she said that the community has really shown up since the crash.

“I did post something about it to our Instagram account … I was just shocked by the number of people that left comments,” she said.

The Peak State Fit business logo is something Casey was holding onto — a boxy design made up of triangles shaped like a fox’s face. Casey has a tattoo of it on her arm.

“I have had the tattoo since we started the business in 2018,” she said. “Even when we were in that tiny little room. Now that’s a commitment to our brand!”

The logo symbolizes her family’s dog.

“She is a terrier, but she reminds us of a fox living in ‘peak state,’” she said. “We believe in living in peak state, reaching out to our community in peak state … it’s commitment to success.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Contributing: Mary Culbertson, KSL TV

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