Car crashes into popular Ohio City restaurant

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – A driver lost control of his vehicle early Thursday and crashed into a restaurant in Ohio City, causing significant damage.

The accident happened just after 3 a.m. in the 2000 block of Gehring Avenue, across from the West Side Market.

The driver's car ended up in Jaja's main entrance.

Neighbors who surveyed the damage said it was sad as there had been so many positive developments in the area.

“I hate to see this happening in this neighborhood now,” said Tony James, who lives at the West Side Market. “We’ve really gotten back to where we once were. It's amazing now. It’s sad that this happened.”

In addition to Jaja, the crash also damaged other businesses in the building. The people in the new apartments in the building woke up to chaos.

“I heard a huge crash and we heard someone screaming, 'Call 911,'” said neighbor Lizzie Abbey. “So we ran down the stairs and there was a large group of people pulling a man out of the rubble and obviously there was a large car in the building.”

According to the restaurant's website, Jaja opened its doors in 2022 and is a “modern steakhouse offering Argentinian-inspired grilled meats, handcrafted cocktails and high-quality design, all under a retractable glass roof.”

Cleveland EMS transported the 24-year-old male driver to a local hospital with serious injuries. His black Audi had knocked over a fire hydrant, struck a barrier and jumped a nine-inch curb to smash into the building.

According to Cleveland police, the accident remains under investigation, but speed appears to be a factor.

Police added that the vehicle was not stolen.

This is a developing story. Return to 19 News for updates.

Copyright 2024 WOIO. All rights reserved.