Portland, Ore. --
Paramedics rushed two Portland men to area hospitals Friday afternoon after the men were hurt when a car smashed into a restaurant, police said.
The crash happened around 4:30 p.m. near the intersection of NW 23rd Avenue and NW Thurman Street.
A spokesman for Portland Fire and Rescue said the driver of Volvo station wagon pulled into the Wild Wasabi restaurant and accidentally stepped on the gas pedal.
Investigators with the Portland Police Traffic Division responded to the scene.
Police said an 80-year-old man was behind the wheel of the car at the time of the crash.
Investigators said Friday night the crash was an accident.
Police said the driver, instead of stepping on the brake pedal, stepped on the gas, sending the car into the building.
The driver and his passenger stayed on scene to be interviewed by authorities.
Ada Chevez, an employee at the restaurant, said she and her two coworkers were inside the store when the crash happened. Chevez said there were no customers inside.
She said the staff was getting ready for the dinner rush when the crash happened.
“Just all I heard was the crash of the glass from the window,” said Chevez.
Chevez said the car hit the table where she and her two coworkers sat. She said just moments before the crash, she stood up when she saw the car pull into the parking lot.
“As a server, I got up so I could get the menus so when they come in, I’d be ready,” said Chevez.
Chevez said one of her co-workers was pushed under the car and said firefighters had the pull him from the wreckage.
Firefighters said the driver and his passenger were not hurt.
Police said Friday night the driver was no impaired.
Investigators have not released the driver’s name, nor the names of the people injured.
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