An Oakland Park Wendy's employee experienced a startling detour yesterday morning when they unintentionally drove their vehicle into the restaurant they work at. The incident, which occurred just after 8:15 a.m. at the 1040 E Commercial Boulevard location, prompted a response from Oakland Park Fire Rescue and the Broward Sheriff's Office, as per CBS Miami. The employee, behind the wheel of a black Toyota SUV, managed to abruptly bring the vehicle to a stop within the building's lobby.
No customers were present inside the restaurant during the accident, reducing the potential for serious injuries. The driver of the SUV, an employee of the restaurant, sustained only minor injuries and refused hospital transportation according to fire officials. The crash resulted in visible damage to the interior furnishings, with tables and chairs among the debris. Local forces remained on-site, with the Broward Sheriff's Office leading the investigation into the curious incident, NBC Miami reported.
The sound of the crash was described by an eyewitness at the scene. “It was horrific. I mean, the sound was horrible,” said the witness, who also mentioned that it appeared the driver had missed a turn. This event took place while the fast-food chain was serving breakfast, but due to the timing, customers had not yet come in, sparing them from the fray. According to WSVN, employees who typically sit at the target area of the crash had just moved, narrowly escaping injury.
After the crash, which left the SUV nestled amidst a field of broken glass, mangled chairs, and splintered tables, the restaurant was forced to shutter for the remainder of the day. However, employees at the Oakland Park Wendy's adapted quickly, managing to maintain the drive-thru's operation. The building's integrity remains to be assessed by city officials, who will soon decide whether it's safe to fully resume business as usual. Lisa Bartolo, a witness to the scene, told WSVN, "To hear all the, you know, wood and metal and everything breaking, my first concern was to make sure the person and all persons were OK." The cause behind the employee's unfortunate mishap is still not known as of the latest updates.
