Many Pullman residents were startled on Saturday night when a drunk driver crashed a vehicle on its side at the intersection of North Grand Avenue and Northeast Stadium Way, just outside Minh’s Restaurant, around 7:00 PM.
According to the Pullman Police Department, Stephen Ungerecht, 32, was arrested for DUI. Ungerecht was the sole occupant of the vehicle, which collided with a pole before rolling onto its side. Witnesses helped him from the vehicle, and he walked away with only minor injuries. Fortunately, no one else was hurt.
Officers later recovered illegal substances related to possible inhalants from the vehicle after obtaining a search warrant.
Jennifer Lam, daughter of restaurant owners Le and Dihn Lam, was serving tables when the crash occurred. “I was working inside, just talking to my aunt, and when it all happened I thought a pot just dropped and thought no biggie,” Lam recalled. “But then my aunt stood up and ran outside and I was like, what is going on. Then two customers came in and said a car hit the building and I was like oh, that’s lovely.”
Lam checked on her coworkers to make sure everyone was okay before heading outside to assess the situation. Upon stepping outside, she saw two bystanders trying to free the driver from the vehicle. “Seeing two people on top of the car trying to pry a door off was pretty horrifying,” she said. “Eventually they pulled it up and the guy just popped up, kinda like a mole, like hey guys. He was perfectly fine, just a little bit in shock.”
After a few hours, the crashed vehicle was removed. Lam was then able to make the necessary assessments and contact the restaurant’s insurance provider.
The damage to Minh’s Restaurant is almost entirely exterior, and the popular eatery will remain open and operational. Plans are already underway to repair the damaged support beams at the front of the building.
https://dailyevergreen.com/194085/news/minhs-employee-recalls-rollover-crash-into-restaurant/
