The story of a car that injured eight people when it drove into a restaurant's outdoor dining area on Sunday afternoon took a tragic turn Monday when one of the eight victims died from her injuries.
The incident happened at the Grand Century Plaza mall on Sunday at around 12:30 p.m. Diners were enjoying dim sum at Dynasty Chinese Seafood Restaurant when a 2004 Toyota 4-Runner plowed into the outdoor seating area at a high rate of speed, as NBC Bay Area reported.
The 69-year-old driver was reportedly trying to park across the street when he accidentally hit the accelerator pedal instead of the break — and family members have suggested he may have been suffering a medical emergency at the time.
Surveillance video, obtained by KPIX and seen below, shows the crash as it happened, with the SUV driving across four lanes and jumping two curbs before careening into the restaurant seating area, which had been set up in a parking lot under tents.
The restaurant's tented outdoor seating area, it turns out, lacked proper barriers around it and was not officially permitted by the city, as KPIX reports. The city provides barriers these barriers, often for free, which could have prevented some of these injuries from occurring.
A Toyota SUV plows into diners having lunch in the parking lot of the restaurant, Dynasty Chinese Seafood, in San Jose. According to San Jose PD, 8 were transported to the hospital. pic.twitter.com/y1pckO4jiT
— BrianKPIX (@brianyuenKPIX) October 11, 2020
Here’s a look at what’s left of the outdoor dining area at Dynasty Chinese Seafood Restaurant in San Jose after SJPD says a driver attempting to park, hit the gas and hit 8 people Sunday. 2 people are in critical condition. Live reports on @abc7newsbayarea https://t.co/jjb1iTTH4R pic.twitter.com/WsXrhpHgXs
— Julian Glover (@JulianGABC7) October 12, 2020
KPIX reports that an as-yet-unnamed adult woman, one of three women and five men injured in the collision, died of her injuries. One other woman remained in critical condition as of Monday.
Strangely, just hours after this crash, another incident in San Jose involving a female driver attempting to park a Ford F-150 and accidentally hitting the accelerator — just down the road from where the first crash occurred — fatally struck a man. As KTVU reported, that crash happened at intersection of Story and King roads on Sunday evening.
Neither driver has been charged with a crime as of Tuesday.
Photo: Kenneth L./Yelp