Pumpkin Crashes into Rockville Restaurant

ROCKVILLE, Md. - Peter’s Grill in Rockville is open for business Wednesday, one day after an enormous pumpkin crashed into the building.

Authorities say the huge gourd was being transported to a giant pumpkin weigh-in event at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds when it became detached from a flatbed hauler. The incident happened just after 1:30 p.m. in the 500 block of Gude Drive. The 2,200-pound pumpkin rolled down a hill and smashed through the front window of Peter's Grill, a popular local breakfast and lunch spot.

Two adults were treated at the scene for lacerations to their fingers after attempting to extricate themselves from the restaurant with flimsy orange serrated plastic carving knives.

The gargantuan gourd was a champion contender at next week’s Mid-Atlantic Pumpkin Festival in Gaithersburg, where the grower of the largest pumpkin takes home a $50,000 grand prize. Gus Nimbus of Red Lion, Pennsylvania, who raised the pumpkin that rolled into Peter's, declined to comment due to pending litigation.

The restaurant’s owner, Mr. Lee, says Peter's Grill is open for normal business hours. The area where the crash occurred has been boarded up, and there is no damage to the dining room, though a few chairs and a table were mangled.

In June 2023, a car crashed into the side of Peter’s Grill and two people were injured. Asked if he thought the location was vulnerable to traffic accidents, Mr. Lee shrugged it off with a laugh and returned to his work.

“Ffrreee pie with every meal!” quipped the always-affable Mr. Lee from behind the register as he juggled Styrofoam clamshells, a cordless phone tucked under his chin, while shouting out the orders.