[ad_1]
At approximately 4:30 p.m., a Mercedes-Benz G-Class SUV crashed into the Panera Bread at 500 S. National Ave., which left two people injured and the face of the building with heavy damage. The restaurant is located adjacent to the Missouri State University campus.
Almost immediately after, a 911 call was received about the crash. The Springfield Police Department and Fire Department were dispatched to the scene – about 10 police cars were present along National Avenue to control rush-hour traffic, as were two fire engines.
SPD Lieutenant Steve Schwind said that two people inside the restaurant were injured in the crash, but neither were transported to a hospital. He presumed that they therefore had minor injuries.
According to Lt. Schwind, the driver of the vehicle – who was originally driving on National Avenue and attempted to turn onto Elm Street, but “didn’t quite make the turn” – was cooperating with police and was not suspected to be intoxicated.
Katelyn Farr, a sophomore public relations major at Missouri State University, was inside the Panera Bread when the crash occurred.
“I was about to wrap up (a conversation) and head home to Jefferson City, but all of a sudden, I saw in my peripheral vision – the car coming through the window,” Farr said. “There was a booth that the car ran into next to the window that had someone sitting in it about 15 or 20 minutes beforehand, and I’m so glad that she got up and left when she did.”
Farr also detailed her experience trying to assist those injured in the crash.
“There were two girls sitting in a booth adjacent to the one that was actually hit by the car – we had to lift up a window frame off of one of the girls so she could get out,” Farr said. “I’m not sure about the condition of one of the girls, but the other girl only seemed to have some minor cuts on her hands and seemed like she was okay.”
Traffic outside of the Panera Bread was fully blocked heading northbound until after 6:00 p.m., when a tow truck transported the damaged vehicle from the building and cleared a majority of debris from the roadway. A mobile order kiosk, tables and booth benches were damaged inside the restaurant.
Follow Allie Free on Twitter at @free_allie.
Subscribe to The Standard’s free weekly newsletter here.
[ad_2]
Source link