1 Dead After Van Slams Into Auto Repair Center in Northeast Miami-Dade

Officials said the driver lost control of the van after making a U-turn.

One person is dead after a van slammed head-first into an auto repair shop in northeast Miami-Dade, traffic homicide investigators said.

Aerial footage shows the van crashed into the Vaval's Autocare Center at 11851 West Dixie Highway.

Officials said the vehicle that crashed into the building was a white van that can be seen settled in an auto repair bay in the shop. The white van barrelled out of control through the shop's iron gate, plowing against a maroon minivan and into the auto repair shop, investigators said.

The maroon minivan, which belonged to George Vaval, tilted over onto its side. The force of the impact totaled the vehicle and knocked off a slab of concrete from the wall.

"[It's] definitely shocking," Vaval said. "Taking a look at it, it just doesn't make sense."

The crash occurred when the driver of the white van lost control of the car after making a U-turn and crashed into the auto parts center, according to Miami-Dade Police. The man, who was in his 20s, died on the scene and no one else was injured, police said.

Shop owner Etienne Vaval said he was shocked by what he found when he went in to work.

"When I came in this morning, I realized there was another car inside with a body inside, so I'm blessed it didn't happen during the day," he said. "We usually work outside."

The spectacle drew a crowd from the surrounding neighborhood, and some said crashes like that happen often at the auto shop.

"I haven't seen it that bad, but I'm not surprised," neighbor Jackie Henderson said. "It happens a lot. That gate is always getting hit by the cars right there."

Officials have not yet released the identity of the driver.

Stay with NBC6.com and NBC 6 South Florida for updates.

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