An SUV slammed into the vintage Steak & Egger diner in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood early Wednesday morning, leaving the vehicle abandoned at the scene after whoever was inside sped off in a second SUV. The crash happened around 4:59 a.m. in the 1100 block of West Cermak Road, and no one was hurt.
According to FOX 32 Chicago, the people involved never went inside the restaurant and took nothing from the business before fleeing. They got into a second SUV and fled eastbound, leaving the first SUV behind at the diner.
No Injuries, No Items Taken
Police have confirmed that no injuries were reported in the crash, and the first vehicle was left abandoned once the group fled. Officers have not released details about who was involved, including descriptions of the people or either vehicle, the outlet reports.
Area Three detectives are now investigating the crash, though no motive, charges, or arrests have been disclosed as the case remains open.
Pilsen's Cermak Corridor Has Seen This Before
This is not the first time a vehicle has ended up crashing into a building along the same stretch of road. A separate incident on Cermak Road in Pilsen, reported by ABC7, saw a stolen car hit a building in the 900 block, becoming wedged between a light pole and the structure. Two men were taken into custody in that case, and a Chicago police officer suffered a minor leg injury, possibly during the suspects’ apprehension.
Steak & Egger itself has weathered trouble before. Back in March 2017, a fire broke out at 9:25 a.m. at the restaurant, located at 1174 W. Cermak Rd., according to the Chicago Sun-Times. No injuries were reported in that blaze either, much like Wednesday's crash.
For now, the latest incident leaves more questions than answers. Who was behind the wheel, why the SUV ended up inside the diner, and what prompted the swap to a second vehicle all remain unexplained as Area Three detectives continue piecing together what happened before sunrise.
