Nevada, MO Residents React to Quick DIne - KOAM TV 7

UPDATE 10/27:

A 2nd man has died, resulting injuries from the tractor-trailer rig hitting the Quick Dine restaurant in Nevada, MO.

The Vernon County Coroner Larry Joggerst says, 71 year old John Becker passed away Thursday evening at Freeman West Hospital in Joplin.

The funeral will be held at ferry funeral home in Nevada.

54 year old Joseph Cole of Nevada was pronounced dead at the scene.  47 year old Pamela Hoover was taken to Nevada Regional Medical Center with moderate injuries. 60 year old Roger Berning of El Dorado Springs was flown to Freeman West in Joplin, has now been dismissed and is recovering at home.

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A restaurant in Nevada, Missouri that was hit by a semi-truck Friday evening will be coming down. The owner of the Quick Dine,  says the restaurant has damage beyond repair.

Patrons and Nevada residents watched as the Quick Dine sign was removed Sunday afternoon after being a Nevada staple for almost sixty years. Customers like, Everett Jenkins described the horrific crash Friday night, which brought the diner down.

"I hadn't even gotten a drink of coffee and we heard a noise," Jenkins said. "A loud noise, and a truck came through the wall, about a foot from me and my brother, and fiancé, and from then on it was just trying to help people."

Owner Kuan Kuan Butterfield said even though she took over the establishment from a previous owner, it felt like the end of an era. Butterfield also said the diner that she has owned since 1988 is completely condemned and must be torn down. Despite many verbal pleas from customers, Butterfield said she has not yet decided if she will rebuild.

A banner now stands at the crash site, welcoming the Nevada community to show its support for Kwan Kwan and the victims of the crash, which left one customer, Joseph Cole, dead and two other victims air lifted to a nearby hospital. 

"I always called him coffee man Joe," Quick Dine Server Linda Brown said, "because he was always so nice, so polite."

"it's for him," said former Quick Dine employee Natasha Robertson,  "and the memories of the place here, where there are great memories here. I will never forget it, I always come here, even though I don't work here anymore."

Linda Brown was a server on duty the night of the incident and was pinned to the ground, leaving her leg almost touching one of the semi's tires. Like many affected she says the outpour from the community has been touching.

"I've had a lot of phone calls, my phone just rang and rang and rang. People were really concerned," Brown said. 

The owner says insurance agents have taken pictures of the scene and will likely finish their assessment within the next week. According to Quick Dine owner Kwan Kwan the demolition of the building could start with the next week.