Drunk Driver Plows Car Into Packed Thessaloniki Restaurant
Three people were injured when a vehicle, allegedly driven by an intoxicated tourist, crashed into the outdoor seating area of a busy restaurant in Greece.
A vehicle smashed into a crowded restaurant in Thessaloniki, Greece, early Sunday morning, injuring three people. The driver, a 45-year-old non-Greek national, reportedly lost control of the car and crashed into the establishment's outdoor seating area, sending diners scrambling.
The restaurant's owners attributed the low number of injuries to solid planters that absorbed the initial impact. "If we didn’t have the planters, we would have funerals," one owner stated, describing the scene as "like watching a movie."
Video footage captured the moment the car struck the restaurant, with patrons seen scattering from their tables. The driver is alleged to have attempted to flee the scene before police arrived. A sobriety test indicated the driver was under the influence of alcohol.
"I backed up because I realized that I had hit people with my car," the driver said following a court hearing. He faces multiple charges, including dangerous driving, bodily harm by negligence, and attempting to flee the scene of an accident.
