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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (KSAZ) - A landmark bus parked out side a popular Old Town Scottsdale bar and restaurant is heavily damaged, after it was hit by a suspected hit-and-run driver early Tuesday morning.
The impact of the collision with the bus, nicknamed "Brutus", was caught on camera. Now, the business's owner is speaking out.
"Brutus" sat out in front of the Brat Haus in Old Town Scottsdale for some time, and on Thursday evening, a makeshift memorial of sorts was set up, at the place where the bus can be found before the crash. The crash sent the bus careening into a brick wall.
Brutus, which is a 60s Volkswagen short bus, was nearly unrecognizable.
"Brutus is part of our family, and has been since the day we opened," said Brat Haus owner Dave Andrea.
At the makeshift memorial site where the bus once parked, staff members with the restaurant drew a picture of the bus, in chalk.
"It's sad," said Brian Graf. "It's one-of-a-kind, so you can't remake that."
The vehicle is not just hard to find these days, it is also in high demand.
"There's a few dozen in the world," said Andrea. "So, they're very rare."
Besides being a landmark of sorts in Old Town Scottsdale, Brutus also served as a donation collection spot for the Honor Flight. The donation it collected was enough to send nine World War II veterans to the nation's capital.
The bus' owner since the story made its rounds on social media, they have received an overwhelming outpouring of support. They also said they will try to restore the vehicle.