2-year-old killed, 13 people injured when vehicle crashes into Portillo's in Oswego, Illinois
A 2-year-old was killed and 13 other people were injured Wednesday afternoon when a car crashed into a Portillo's restaurant in Oswego, Illinois.
Oswego Police Chief Jason Bastin said, shortly before 2 p.m., a 2011 Lincoln MKZ crashed into the Portillo's on U.S. Route 34 near Douglas Road.
Fourteen people were injured in the crash. Eight of them were taken to the hospital, and six were treated at the scene. Bastin said one of the victims, a 2-year-old boy who was inside the restaurant, died at the hospital. Three other people were seriously injured, fire officials said.
The driver, a 50-year-old woman, was among those being treated at the hospital, according to Bastin.
Police said the driver was alone in the car and talking before she was taken to the hospital, but didn't elaborate on what she said or what may have caused the collision.
Everyone else who was hurt was inside the restaurant at the time of the crash.
Brian Wallers said he was standing outside the Portillo's after the crash, when a woman came up looking for her daughter.
"We were standing here just observing the scene, and she approached us from behind. She had just pulled up in her car, very worried, obviously, looking for her daughter, who she could not find, and the daughter wasn't responding. She had been in Portillo's around the time of the accident," he said.
Wallers said he suggested the woman check nearby Rush Copley Medical Center, where most of the people who were hurt were taken. He said he hopes the woman's daughter either escaped injury or is not seriously hurt.
The cause of the crash was under investigation and was expected to last several hours, but police believe it was an accident. Police asked people to avoid the area to allow crews to investigate.
Police have not identified the 2-year-old boy or the driver. They also would not speculate on whether there would be charges in the crash.
A spokesperson for the restaurant chain said in a statement:
"We are deeply saddened by the tragic accident involving a car that struck our Oswego restaurant this afternoon, and our thoughts are with those affected by this incident. As we continue to assess this unfolding situation, our primary concern is the safety and well-being of our guests and team members. We are grateful to the emergency responders who arrived quickly onsite, and we are working closely with local authorities to aid their investigation. At this time, the Oswego Portillo's restaurant will remain closed through the end of the day. We will defer all additional questions to local law enforcement."