Surveillance footage from Little Sakana shows a car suddenly accelerating toward the entrance of the restaurant’s South Bay location near Otay Mesa, striking a woman standing outside the front door and crashing through the glass façade. The impact sent tables and chairs flying inside the dining room and knocked the woman to the ground in the chaotic moment.
Despite the dramatic footage, authorities say the injuries appear to have been relatively minor. According to restaurant staff, those involved declined medical attention following the incident.
Employees at the restaurant said the driver was a 70-year-old man who is a familiar customer at the establishment. Staff told reporters the man frequently visits the restaurant and often orders the same takeout meal — steamed rice with sauce.
According to employees, the crash happened as the man attempted to park outside the restaurant. Staff members believe his foot may have slipped from the brake to the accelerator, causing the vehicle to surge forward and crash through the front of the building.
The incident occurred around 5:17 p.m. on Sunday, March 8, during what restaurant managers described as an unusually quiet moment for the business. Earlier in the day, a power outage at the surrounding shopping plaza had temporarily forced the restaurant to suspend service, leaving fewer customers both inside and outside the restaurant than would normally be present on a busy weekend evening.
Restaurant staff said they were grateful the situation did not result in more serious injuries.
The damaged location is part of the growing Little Sakana brand, which operates multiple all-you-can-eat sushi restaurants. The company’s original location opened in Mira Mesa and has since expanded with additional locations in San Diego’s South Bay and even beyond California.
The San Diego area currently hosts two locations: one at 8270 Mira Mesa Boulevard in Mira Mesa and another at 780 Dennery Road in the South Bay, the site of Sunday’s crash. The brand has also expanded out of state with a restaurant in Katy, Texas.
Following the collision, restaurant managers said they are now working with insurance providers and fire officials to assess the extent of the damage to the building and determine when normal operations can fully resume.
Police are continuing to investigate the incident.
Despite the dramatic footage, authorities say the injuries appear to have been relatively minor. According to restaurant staff, those involved declined medical attention following the incident.
Employees at the restaurant said the driver was a 70-year-old man who is a familiar customer at the establishment. Staff told reporters the man frequently visits the restaurant and often orders the same takeout meal — steamed rice with sauce.
According to employees, the crash happened as the man attempted to park outside the restaurant. Staff members believe his foot may have slipped from the brake to the accelerator, causing the vehicle to surge forward and crash through the front of the building.
The incident occurred around 5:17 p.m. on Sunday, March 8, during what restaurant managers described as an unusually quiet moment for the business. Earlier in the day, a power outage at the surrounding shopping plaza had temporarily forced the restaurant to suspend service, leaving fewer customers both inside and outside the restaurant than would normally be present on a busy weekend evening.
Restaurant staff said they were grateful the situation did not result in more serious injuries.
The damaged location is part of the growing Little Sakana brand, which operates multiple all-you-can-eat sushi restaurants. The company’s original location opened in Mira Mesa and has since expanded with additional locations in San Diego’s South Bay and even beyond California.
The San Diego area currently hosts two locations: one at 8270 Mira Mesa Boulevard in Mira Mesa and another at 780 Dennery Road in the South Bay, the site of Sunday’s crash. The brand has also expanded out of state with a restaurant in Katy, Texas.
Following the collision, restaurant managers said they are now working with insurance providers and fire officials to assess the extent of the damage to the building and determine when normal operations can fully resume.
Police are continuing to investigate the incident.