Fancy tea drinkers enjoying the wonderfully warm Sunday afternoon on the patio of Samovar Tea Lounge at 18th and Sanchez were unceremoniously jarred from their leisure by the rear end of a Mercedes SUV. The driver apparently suffered a stroke while behind the wheel, causing her vehicle to roll backwards down the steep hill of Sanchez directly into the popular corner cafe.
One patron sitting outside was pinned against the wall and sustained a broken pelvis, but others sitting inside only suffered minor abrasions from the shattered glass flying everywhere. Deigning this to be real news, ABC Local has a cute video about it with interviews from eyewitnesses like a Samovar server and the owner of Urban Bread who noticed the SUV rolling by and picked up the phone to call 911 as it crashed across the street.
Let’s hope everyone is OK and recovering (Samovar Tea Lounge included).
[Photo by Jsong, via Uptown Almanac]
Ironically that is a soft story building. Which the city will soon mandate must be retrofitted for earthquake safety. Right now though lucky building owners who opt to do the work in advance of the laws passing get expedited permits processing and waived fees.
As for the SUV, I was certain it was some drunk San Jose chick heading home after a sloppy morning at that godawful Lime brunch thingy. But I was wrong…
[...] Samovar Vs. Backwards-Rolling SUV « Mission Mission [...]
Thankfully the people are okay. I love Samovar.
http://clubdinein.wordpress.com/2010/06/01/the-perfect-cup-of-chai
here’s a pic i took shortly after they cleared the SUV. i live right down the street and was headed there to meet some friends…
http://twitpic.com/1wm15k
That’s the reason why I never drink tea.
It was an elderly driver that obviously mistook Samovar for a Farmer’s Market.