An 18-year-old man was taken into custody after reportedly crashing a stolen vehicle into a South Side Maxwell Street Grill in Chicago, officials said. The incident occurred early Friday morning, around 3:45 a.m., at the 7900 block of South Chicago Avenue, according to ABC7 Chicago. The restaurant, known to operate 24 hours, may have been vacant since it's not clear if anyone was inside at the time.
The vehicle, a black Mazda sedan, did not merely disrupt the building's exterior but also took out a light pole before it rolled onto its side, causing further damage, video footage showed. Despite the severity of the crash, the Chicago Police Department stated that no bystanders were harmed during the chaos. The driver, however, did sustain injuries and was promptly transported to the University of Chicago Medical Center. Police reported his condition to be stable. The car was previously identified as stolen, which led to the arrest of the driver, with charges presently pending.
In the wake of the incident, the No. 79 CTA buses had to be rerouted temporarily in both directions, as mentioned by ABC7 Chicago. This adaptation in public transportation underscored the disruptive aftermath of the early morning collision.
Law enforcement officials continue to investigate the specifics of the event that led to the young driver's injudicious decision-making and the arrest. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the driver was operating the vehicle around 3:40 a.m. when he ran into the side of Maxwell Street Grill, located at 7901 S. South Chicago Avenue.
