Woman pinned between car and counter

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Wayne Township Fire crews responded to an accident near West Washington Street and Lynhurst Saturday after an SUV crashed into the dining room of a restaurant – pinning a customer between the car and the counter.

It happened shortly after 5 p.m.

A passenger inside the SUV said she and her daughter-in-law, who was driving, were headed east on Washington when a van pulled out in front of them.  She said her daughter-in-law swerved to avoid it, but lost control and crashed into the building.

Mariah Taylor was working at a fast food restaurant next door when she heard the crash, ran over to help along with a co-worker, and saw the woman who was pinned.

“There were like 20 of us in there and I'm trying to pull bricks off the top of the lady that's trapped,” said Taylor. “I was just telling her ‘it's ok, I'm trying to help you.’”

Firefighters said the female customer was taken to Wishard Memorial Hospital in serious condition. She was conscious at the scene.

The passenger in the SUV suffered only a scratch. She said her daughter-in-law was able to get out of the vehicle on her own.

Wayne Township Fire officials said they haven’t been able to confirm the number of employees in the business at the time of the accident. There were no other injuries reported.

The building suffered severe structural damage. The Indianapolis Fire Department’s Structural Collapse Rescue Team was called in to secure the building and prevent it from further collapse.

Washington Street was closed in both directions for about two hours.

The restaurant will be closed for an unspecified amount of time.