Employees Shocked After Vehicle Crashes Into Restaurant For 2nd Time
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The Minneapolis Police Department is investigating after a driver crashed into a north Minneapolis restaurant early Saturday morning, just moments after reportedly stealing the vehicle.
Minneapolis police say the crash happened at about 4:15 a.m. at Tooties On Lowry on the 2700 block of Lowry Avenue North.
The suspect had already fled when officers arrived at the scene, but a man approached police soon after to report that the SUV had been stolen from him at gunpoint just before the crash.
The front of the restaurant sustained severe damage.
Manager Krissy Johnson's family has owned the bar and grill for nearly three decades.
As she showed WCCO the damage inside the restaurant from the crash, Johnson reflected on the last time something like this happened.
"It is like déjà vu," Johnson said.
In April of 2008, another vehicle crashed into the same front area of the restaurant.
"The windows were already redone from when this happened 7 years ago," Johnson said. "We were still getting used to it."
Johnson said last time the restaurant was hit by a car, insurance covered more than $40,000 in damages.
The driver in the 2008 incident was never caught, according to Johnson.
Johnson hopes this time the suspect will be caught.
Minneapolis police investigators are holding onto the vehicle as part of the robbery investigation after the SUV's owner told officers someone stole the car from him at gunpoint moments before crashing into the building.
"It is bizarre," Johnson said of the events.
Christmas weekend is usually busy for Tooties, but Johnson explained this year they had to close because of the damage and lack of response from insurance agents during the holiday.
"It has been like phone tag with the insurance company," Johnson said.
In 2008, Johnson said the crash happened in April, not during a holiday.
"We were able to get back open the very same day," Johnson said of the last incident.