El Monte, CA (April 14, 2024) A police officer was heading to a call on Thursday night in El Monte, when a drunk driver crashed into the patrol vehicle. The impact sent the patrol car crashing into Art’s Burgers on Valley Boulevard, destroying part of the building and injuring one of the employees. The DUI driver was arrested, following this terrible collision, and the restaurant had to close for repairs, reports indicated.
The patrol vehicle was driving along Valley Road when, suddenly, another vehicle slammed into the police car. The other vehicle hit the patrol car with such force that it sent the vehicle barreling towards Art’s Burgers on 11629 Valley Road. The patrol car went over the curb and crashed into the restaurant’s archway, officers said. After crashing into the archway, the roof collapsed. The police car continued sliding, though. It ended up crashing into a second awning that was located at the back of Art’s Burgers, before the cruiser finally came to a stop.
There were four employees working at the restaurant at the time of the collision, according to manager Alyssa Gomez. One employee was near the area of the restaurant that was hit and sustained injuries as glass and debris hit her. The police officer was also injured in the accident, but thankfully, all injuries were non-life-threatening and both people are expected to make a full recovery.
Officers spoke with the driver of the vehicle that crashed into the patrol car and determined that he was drunk at the time of the crash. 47-year-old Maclovio Figueroa was arrested at the scene for suspected DUI.
Art’s Burgers had to close following the accident and will remain closed as they repair the damage to the restaurant. At this time, they are unable to pay employees or even have the employees come to work. The owner of the beloved restaurant is concerned about employees having no job to go to right now. “We are trying our best to go through insurance and retain our employees. It’s our top priority,” Tammy Meier, the owner’s daughter said.
All of us here at Accident News Now wish speedy recoveries to the police officer and the Art’s Burgers employee who were injured in this collision. If you or someone you know has been affected by this collision, our team of legal professionals is here to assist you during this time.
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