A Gwinnett County restaurant experienced a shocking event this past Saturday when a vehicle crashed into Fresca Trattoria, with patrons narrowly escaping injury. Lisa Myers, one of the owners of an Italian eatery, managed to bring levity to the situation by half-jokingly referring to her establishment as "Lilburn's newest drive-thru", despite the traumatic incident caught on surveillance video showing diners leaping away moments before being potentially struck down by the careening car, according to FOX 5 Atlanta.
Reflecting on the near miss, surveillance footage captured a group enjoying brunch when their lives were nearly upturned by a white sedan that burst through the facade, sending shards of glass sprawling across the dining area. "Honestly, seeing the video, the waitress who happens to be my daughter, was standing here like three minutes before the car came through. So, I'm just glad she – everyone was fine," Myers recounted in an interview with FOX 5 Atlanta photojournalist Billy Heath. The Gwinnett County police, who are still yet to disclose details on their investigation, heard from the driver post-collision who claimed a technical malfunction, stating her car's gas pedal became stuck as her brakes failed.
Despite the destruction, the restaurant remains operational, buoyed by a kitchen that was left untouched. "The kitchen's completely fine. So, there’s no reason to close if we still have people that are willing to stick with us through the process," Leah Myers articulated to Atlanta News First. According to Leah Myers's account, she was serving a table that had to rapidly make an escape; her retelling vividly described the chaos of the moment characterized by a cacophony of gas and brakes and a floor marred by tire tracks.
In the wake of the accident, the small business owner emphasized the significance of community support as she waits on tenterhooks for an insurance update. "We would appreciate it. We don't know what is covered through the woman's insurance and what isn't," Lisa Myers conveyed to FOX 5 Atlanta.
