By Julia Marnin
The Charlotte Observer
EXETER, N.H. 鈥� Instead of wondering how the Grinch stole Christmas, police in New Hampshire are investigating how he crashed his car.
Officers responded to an 鈥渦nusual鈥� wreck the evening of Dec. 25 and found a driver 鈥� fully 鈥� with a smashed windshield outside a music and event venue in Exeter, according to the Exeter Police Department.
The 31-year-old driver veered off the road and plowed into a mailbox, sign and lights belonging to The Word Barn around 5:50 p.m., police said in a Dec. 27 news release shared to Facebook.
The Exeter resident 鈥渂ecame distracted near a curve in the road,鈥� leading to the crash, 鈥渟ignificant front-end damage,鈥� his broken windshield and a shattered rear driver鈥檚 side window, according to police.
He鈥檚 seen in his fuzzy green Grinch costume, paired with a Santa Claus coat, outside his car on The Word Barn鈥檚 front lawn in photos provided by the venue and shared by police.
One photo shows him nonchalantly checking his phone as a Santa hat rests on the car鈥檚 driver鈥檚 seat.
鈥淭his was certainly a unique situation,鈥� Exeter Police Chief Stephan Poulin said in a statement.
鈥淥fficers never expected to arrive at the scene to find that an operator was wearing a Grinch suit behind the wheel, but it was Christmas night so not entirely outside the realm of possibility,鈥� Poulin added.
The man told officers he wasn鈥檛 hurt, according to police, but he was taken to a nearby hospital after first responders evaluated him.
After the wreck, his car was towed, police said.
In a Dec. 26 Facebook post, The Word Barn said the crash destroyed their sign, mailbox and walkway lights.
鈥淚magine our surprise when and found ... the Grinch!?! can鈥檛 make this stuff up,鈥� the company wrote in the post.
鈥淲e鈥檙e extra glad he is ok 鈥� but we鈥檒l be without a sign and lights for a spell,鈥� the post said.
Police continue to investigate the crash.
Exeter is about 55 miles northeast of Boston .
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