Josephine's Southern Cooking on Chicago's South Side damaged in car accident

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A beloved restaurant on the South Side was damaged Friday morning after a vehicle slammed into the building.

Josephine's Southern Cooking, at 436 E. 79th St, has been a staple in the Chatham neighborhood for decades.  

Josephine "Mother" Wade has fed everyone at her restaurant, from the South Side to the West Side, from celebrities and dignitaries to diners from the neighborhood.

A black Chevy Cruz was seen inside the restaurant's dining area, which was severely damaged following the crash. The collision destroyed part of the restaurant's storefront. 

According to Chicago Police, a 58-year-old woman lost control and jumped the curb after trying to avoid an accident with a Chicago library box truck. One person, believed to be the driver of that Chevy, was taken out on a stretcher and loaded into an ambulance. She is expected to recover.

Josephine's owner Victor Love, said he got the call about 30 minutes after the car slammed through his restaurant.

"Just another sad day for us. Anyway, we don't have a lot of sad days, but this is one. My mother's taking it pretty rough. I don't know what the outcome is gonna be as far as the damage for the restaurant. I've got a structural engineer on the way out. Hopefully, they can give us clearance at least clean it up, board it up, and try to get it back open."

Love says they've been at the same location for 43 years and have offered thousands of free meals during the pandemic.

One employee was inside at the time of the crash and alerted police. 

No other injuries were reported.