Seattle, Washington – Car Crashes Into Historic Building, Driver Fled the Scene

Seattle, Washington (June 6, 2019) – The driver of a car crashed into Merchant’s Café on the 109th block of Yesler Way on early Thursday morning. Fortunately, there were no injuries reported in the incident, but the historic building itself will require repairs. The driver fled the scene and has not been caught.

The crash occurred around 2:20 a.m. in the morning. According to a witness the car had been doughnuts on Yesler Way, and drove the wrong way down the street, hit a pole with the front end of the vehicle, which swung the tail end into the building. The driver left the car behind and police are currently looking for the owner. The crash spared the interior, and the manager has said that they will continue to be open for business.

About Vehicle Accidents

From data gathered on car crashes into buildings, the cause was usually operator error or pedal error. For operator errors, drivers usually accelerated or were at high speeds, or were in the wrong gear. Pedal errors similar to the situation in this case, means that drivers stepped on the gas when they meant to step on the brake. Other, smaller factors for crashing into buildings are situation-based, such as driving under influence, traffic accidents, weather conditions or medical emergencies. A very small percentage are for people who intentionally ram buildings to commit theft. From these causes, lack of control is a common feature.

Because of the crash site, the threat of injuries applies not only to the occupants of the car but also people inside the building. Damage can also be done to either the car or the struck building. As always, we urge everyone to drive with caution and practice safe driving wherever you go. Doing so minimizes damage and injuries you can inflict not only on yourself, but on others as well. If you have however become a victim of a vehicle accident of any sort, we extend our sympathies and compassion.

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