Craig Palmer was headed outside his store when he saw a Lincoln Navigator flying through the air shortly before 9 a.m. Friday.

“It happened so fast we only had time to stop walking forward,” said Palmer, who owns Allstar Tire & Wheels at 4770 Pio Nono Ave. in Macon. “We didn’t have time to back up or anything, but I thought it was going to come through the window.”

Police say two people were hurt when a white sport utility vehicle heading north on Ga. 247 left the road where it curves at the fork of Broadway, Pio Nono Avenue and Houston Avenue.

A trail of leaves and a smashed fuel price sign at the Conoco station show where the vehicle first left the busy highway.

It crashed into a compact utility vehicle and some go-carts before overturning multiple times and crashing into the sign advertising the need for a front-end mechanic at Allstar.

The bumper of the SUV lodged in the middle of the plastic letter message board about 15 feet from the ground.

Witnesses said the vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed, lost control near the Conoco station, flipped multiple times before going airborne and crashing into the sign at the tire shop and scooter dealer.

The vehicle came to rest upright in the lot, and a man and woman onboard were both conscious, said Macon police officer Bob Kosmowski.

Both were taken to The Medical Center of Central Georgia after the crash, which police suspect might have been alcohol-related.

The SUV crushed a couple of dirt bikes parked near the sign.

“We’re just lucky,” said Palmer, who just missed being in the path of the crash.

Years ago, a man was killed when he crashed into Palmer’s building, he said.

“They need to either straighten out that curve or slow the people down some way.”

To contact Liz Fabian, call 744-4303.