Van Carrying Children Plows Into North Miami Restaurant

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - A van carrying children crashed into a North Miami restaurant Wednesday afternoon causing damage, but no injuries.

Police said the incident happened just after 2 p.m., at G's BBQ & Pizza at Northwest 122nd Street and Seventh Avenue.

The van was going northbound on NW 7th Avenue when another vehicle cut it off causing the driver to swerve into the corner restaurant, according to police.

"Everybody's ok even those people who were inside the restaurant. They were OK and glorified God," Joyce Durand, the driver of the van said.

Police told CBS4 News that six to eight kids, the driver, restaurant patrons, and employees were uninjured.

"It was a big ole noise like an explosion," restaurant owner Fitzgerald Gabriel said. "I said what? That's an accident, and when I went through I said, that's my restaurant!"

Gabriel said when he realized what was going on, he and others began pulling people out of the van.

"I tried to pull the kids out. Everybody tried to pull the kids out and tried to see if anyone was under the van," Gabriel said

"A lot of the kids was crying. A lot of the kids was anxious after what just happened. After that everybody was OK," restaurant employee Rosy Eugene said.

"If you look in the top right-hand corner you can see it narrowly missing customers. A close call for everyone involved," Eugene added. "I'm just lucky to be alive because I just left the register two seconds before the crash. I'm like thank God."

Police say the Two vehicles involved were towed away. The driver who cut off the van was cited for making an illegal left turn.