HOLLYWOOD, FLA. (WSVN) - Rescue crews took four people to the hospital after, police said, an SUV crashed into an outdoor dining area in Hollywood.
Hollywood Police and Fire Rescue units responded to the scene of the crash along 20th Avenue, just south of Hollywood Boulevard, around 8:45 p.m., Tuesday.
Investigators said the woman driving the SUV hopped a curb and crashed into the outdoor dining area on the sidewalk.
Police said three people were struck.
A woman who was hit on the sidewalk suffered serious leg injuries and was transported to Memorial Regional Hospital in critical condition.
A friend of hers, who was also injured in the crash, returned to the restaurant Wednesday night.
“The car didn’t stop,” said Rosemary Villaran, who was there with a childhood friend visiting from Peru. “My friend was sitting in front of me, so that table went down. She went down with chair, and the car crushed her. She was under the car.”
Jason Hadley owns The Bang Shack and was just feet away from the group that was struck. “I thought someone had kicked my sign or something, so I came outside to see what happened and that’s when I saw chaos,” he said.
Hadley said he had just been speaking with the guests moments before. “I was just talking with those patrons. Like I was just talking with them, with my neighbors. I had my back turned to that direction,” he said.
According to witnesses, the driver came from an alley next door, turning into the wrong lane on 20th Avenue and then overcorrected and swerved onto the sidewalk, hitting the tables and slamming into a palm tree.
“Unfortunately, the victim was struck by the vehicle causing major injuries, and she was trauma alerted to Memorial Regional Hospital,” said Hollywood Police officer Christian Lata. “The driver, at this time, was also transported with minor injuries.”
In addition to the driver, two other victims were transported with minor injuries.
Despite what occurred, Hadley said he is grateful that it was not his own family involved. “It wasn’t until I went home and laid down that it played over in my head, you know, how blessed I am,” he said.
Villaran’s friend was not so fortunate. She says she needed to have her lower legs amputated.
“It’s horrible,” she said. “People can’t do these kinds of accidents because nobody knows when they’re gonna kill.”
Police are attempting to determine whether or not the driver will face any charges, as they continue to investigate.
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