After a Ford van ran a Red Light on Sunday afternoon in Los Angeles, it struck another vehicle before plowing into tables outside the Fish Shop restaurant in Mid-Wilshire. At least nine people were injured in the incident.

Hit-and-run driver hits restaurant tables

According to Sgt. C. Barlow of the Los Angeles Police, the accident happened at around 3:45 p.m. Sunday, when the van ran a red light, smashing into another vehicle at the intersection in front of the Fish Shop restaurant. The impact of the crash sent the Ford van through a picket fence outside the restaurant, then through tables packed with diners on the patio.

The New York Daily News quotes one witness as saying when the van finally stopped, there were several victims pinned underneath the vehicle.

That report also quotes another witness who said after the vehicle stopped, the driver briefly climbed out of the van, then jumped back in. The witness said the man seemed disoriented. According to the LA Times, the man again left the vehicle, leading to bystanders chasing after him and detaining him a block away until the police arrived. According to Barlow, the as yet unidentified man was arrested on suspicion of felony hit-and-run.

Diners injured in the incident

KTLA-TV reports that a 44-year-old man was rushed by first responders to hospital in a critical condition. There was also an 18-year-old and 28-year-old woman and a 30-year-old man taken to hospital in a serious condition. Four other victims are reportedly in a stable condition hospital. Barlow said just after 10 p.m.

the police had announced that everyone was expected to survive the incident and there were no life-threatening injuries.

The LA Times quotes Felicity Inniss, the owner of the Fish Shop restaurant, as saying she had just served a table outside when it happened. She said the driver had swerved around some cars and was suddenly there among the tables with customers under the van.

Inniss said two women injured in the incident collapsed as they tried to leave the scene. She went to help a man who was bleeding from his head, removing the pieces of patio furniture and fencing off his body. Inniss said the man had been dining with his daughter, who looked around 10 years of age and was uninjured in the incident.

The van was towed from the scene at around 7 p.m. and had a damaged bumper and flat tire. According to police, neither driver was injured. The second driver was not cited and was able to leave the scene at around 6:30 p.m. Police do not believe the driver of the van was under the influence of alcohol or drugs and he is not believed to have intentionally driven into the diners.