Sunday dinner at Ollie & Park's, a busy Uptown Denver restaurant, turned chaotic when a U-Haul truck crashed straight into the building, carving out a massive hole while employees and customers were inside. No injuries were reported, but the impact damaged a key support beam for the apartments above and forced the restaurant to shut down for repairs.
Uptown crash details
The truck hit the corner of 17th Avenue and Park Avenue and was hauled away from the scene shortly after 7 p.m. on May 3. According to KDVR, the collision left a gaping opening in the restaurant's exterior and struck a major support beam for the residential units above.
About Ollie & Park's
On its Ollie & Park's site, the restaurant describes itself as an Uptown tapas and cocktail spot from chef-owner Jason Alfonso, with patio seating and dinner service. Per OpenTable, it sits on East 17th Avenue near Park Avenue in Denver's Uptown neighborhood.
Owner reaction and possible cause
Owner Jason Alfonso told reporters he had been at the park with his children when he got the call about the crash. He said the bartender was outside serving patio tables at the time and was not hit. Alfonso added that he is not sure when Ollie & Park's will be able to reopen and expects repairs to take some time. He said police told him the U-Haul driver may have experienced a medical emergency, such as a seizure.
KDVR also reports Alfonso owns nearby Italian restaurant The Odyssey, which has been closed since February, and that he plans to reopen that spot in about a month to help cover revenue while Ollie & Park's remains under repair.
What happens next
Alfonso said the building will need significant work before service can resume and that there is no target date for reopening. The restaurant group says it will share updates as city and building inspections move forward.
