Car crashes into Di Luna's Sunday

SANDPOINT — Sunday diners at Di Luna’s Cafe had an abrupt surprise when their lunch was interrupted by a car crashing through the front window.

An unnamed woman endured a moment of panic Sunday afternoon after accidentally driving her vehicle into the Di Luna’s Cafe frontage. Thankfully, no one was hurt in a bizarre incident that left the brick work and the front window damaged and the interior open to the cold air.

According to Di Luna’s Cafe owner Karen Forsythe, the woman was trying to park her vehicle and accidentally hit the gas pedal instead of the brakes. The mistake sent her vehicle colliding with the building’s front facade, causing extensive damage and scattering particles of concrete and drywall throughout the restaurant.

While patrons are usually encouraged to sit in the front of the restaurant, the woman who hit the building had reserved a large table for her party. As a result, all the diners were positioned toward the rear of the building, and no one was hurt by the collision.

“It’s a miracle no one was injured,” Forsythe said.

One fortunate diner had been at the front of the business only moments earlier. However, she was just making her way back to her table when the vehicle crashed through the wall.

“Sue Otis, our hostess, went right up to her and put her arms around her, and they were both thanking God for her protection,” Forsythe said.

Other diners went outside to assist the woman involved in the accident, who was also uninjured.

However, Forsythe had to close the business for the rest of the day, since the interior was now exposed to the elements and the place was mess. In addition to dust from the construction materials and shattered glass, furniture was damaged and the carpets will need to be cleaned once reconstruction is complete. The rebuilding efforts are already well under way, with a mason completing the brickwork Monday and Luke and Jake Luikens handling the framing of the wall and window. The woman involved in the accident also has full insurance coverage, so Forsythe is taking a sunny view of the situation.

“It’s a mess, but a great chance for a makeover,” she said.