SMITHVILLE, Tenn. -- A tractor-trailer crashed into a Dairy Queen in DeKalb County early Monday morning, severely damaging the building.

William Gossett, 42, is from Gordonsville and was on his way to Monteagle. The tractor-trailer's path began about 150 to 200 yards up the street, in front of Larry's Discount Grocery.

Gossett apparently blacked out at about 7 a.m., clipped the grocery store, went through a restaurant's parking lot and hit a sign before driving through Dairy Queen.

Gossett said he doesn't remember running off the road and through the Dairy Queen lobby.

No one was inside the West Broad Street building at the time.

Dairy Queen has been at the Smithville location for decades. The couple who currently co-owns the business has operated it for 13 years.

Co-owner Amy Bourne was almost at work.

"I was on my way, another 30, 45 minutes," said Bourne. "A semi was sitting in our lobby."

Damage is being assessed to see if the building is a total loss, and the owners said they believe it is.

"We work so many long, hard hours, day after day, year after year, and trying to build. In a split second, it's gone," said Bourne.

Gossett received cuts and bruises but is expected to be OK. He has been driving tractor-trailers for 18 years and had never had a wreck until this incident.

Reporter Aaron Solomon contributed to this story.