About 11 people were inside of Jumbo's Restaurant, a popular eatery in Liberty City on Saturday night when tragedy struck.
City of Miami Police say the driver of a white pick-up truck traveling northbound on NW 7th Avenue, somehow lost control and smashed into a parked car in front of the restaurant. The car was in turn slammed into the entrance of the eatery. The accident claimed the lives of two people and put many others in danger.
"The guy ran a red light, hit the truck and then everybody inside the store flew. It just rammed them. The truck jumped like a movie," said a witness who did not wish to give his name.
"One of the gentlemen was struck by the vehicle and was knocked inside Jumbo's. The other one unfortunately was also hit by a vehicle. He was outside of the building and both of them died as a result of the impact," said Lieutenant Ignatius Carroll, of Miami Fire Rescue.
One of the victims was a regular at Jumbo's. He had dropped in for a bite to eat after helping a family say goodbye to a loved one at a local funeral.
"He was an elder at a church not too far from this location and he just presided over a funeral," said Detective Keandra Simmons with Miami Police.
Miami Fire Rescue says the driver of the white truck survived the crash and was being detained for questioning at the scene.
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"He got out of the car after five minutes. He sees the guy on the floor and started crying," said a witness as he described the driver's reaction to the crash aftermath.
Police continue to investigate what may have caused the driver to lose control of his vehicle. Whether this tragedy is the result of a medical issue, speeding, or if the driver was under the influence of alcohol or drugs is yet to be determined.
