A hit-and-run driver behind the wheel of an SUV plowed into a 7-Eleven in downtown San Diego Monday night, trapping two people inside the store.
According to officials, the crash happened just before 11:30 p.m. at the convenience store on Market Street and Park Boulevard in the East Village. Witnesses said a man driving a blue Ford Explorer was trying to make a U-Turn when, instead, he slammed into the entrance of the 7-Eleven.
Witnesses told police the driver then backed up and sped off, driving eastbound on Market Street, leaving behind a huge mess.
The impact from the collision ripped the frame of the store’s front door out of the ground and shattered the glass at the entrance. Shards and debris were left all over the sidewalk and inside the business.
Two people were inside the store at the time, and were trapped inside for about a half-hour while fire crews secured the building and created a safe opening for them to get out. No one was hurt, officials said.
The crash rattled many people in the area, including 7-Eleven customer Robert Geiger. He couldn’t believe his eyes when the SUV slammed into the store.
“I thought he would hit a parking meter before he hit the store,” Geiger said. “All the parking meters in the street are okay.”
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Another witness who lives above the 7-Eleven said the sound of the crash was so loud it shook the entire building and woke him up.
Despite the incident, the store was open for business Tuesday morning and very busy with customers making their early-morning purchases.
Crews were on site repairing the damage left behind in the crash. The hit-and-run driver has not been arrested.
