Police chase ends with car slamming into Gino’s in Salinas, suspect detained

SALINAS, Calif. (KION) UPDATE 11/20/20 6:30 p.m. A high speed police pursuit late Thursday evening ended with a car crashing into Gino's Italian Restaurant on South Main Street in Salinas.

Salinas Police identified the suspect in this incident as a 16-year-old. The minor does not have a drivers license.

The suspect sped away from police when the officer attempted to pull the teen over for reckless driving. The chase only lasted about half a mile when the driver clipped a car and plowed into Gino's outdoor dining area that sits just off South Main St.

The 10 tables under tents were full of customers at the time of the wreck.

Police said nine people, all customers, were injured.

“Minor injuries to serious injuries that ended up with six of them being sent to the hospital,” Salinas PD spokesman Miguel Cabrera said. “None of them are life threatening injuries. All of the victims that are transported will fully recover from their injuries. It could have been a lot worse.”

Maly Filice said she would have been eating at Gino's Restaurant last night if it wasn't for a last minute change of plans.

“I was shocked. I turned on my TV and said what happened in Gino's? So thank god we didn’t come over here,” Filice said.

After the crash, the 16-year-old suspect tried to flee the scene but was taken into custody shortly after the crash. The minor is facing multiple felony charges, and police say he isn’t cooperating with the investigation.

Gino’s opened up for business today, but only for take out as they repair their new outdoor dining area they set up during the pandemic. The restaurant took down the tents that were damaged in the crash.

A manager at the restaurant told KION they are not sure when they'll re-open the outdoor dining area.

UPDATE 11/20/20 3:00 a.m: Salinas Police have identified the suspect in this incident as a 16-year-old.

 They say they found him in the fields behind the car wash just South of Gino's. 

According to officers, the teen was uncooperative with officers and did not provide a statement. The suspect vehicle was registered to the 16-year old's father.

UPDATE 11.20.20 1:45 a.m. A high speed police pursuit late Thursday evening ended with a car crashing into Gino's Italian Restaurant on South Main Street in Salinas.

The vehicle crashed into a tent where diners were eating outdoors outside the restaurant. Multiple medical personnel and first responders were called to the scene of the accident to attend to customers who were injured.

According to Salinas police, after around 8 p.m. on Thursday, an officer spotted a vehicle that was driving recklessly in south Salinas. The officer attempted to stop the vehicle, but a pursuit ensued.

As the vehicle approached South Main and Stephanie Drive, it collided with another car. The suspect vehicle went up a grassy area near Gino's toward the patio dining area where patrons were eating, crashing through the tent, according to police.

Multiple patrons were injured, some seriously. But police say none had life-threatening injuries. A few of the people were seen being taken on stretchers and into an ambulance, presumably taken to local area hospitals.

According to police, several patrons and witnesses in the area pointed to the direction where someone in the suspect vehicle ran away after the crash. Police searched the area and detained one individual.

Witnesses tell KION police were chasing a silver Mercedes and that it ran a red light at Blanco Road and South Main Street. One witness says the Mercedes hit one other car before slamming into the Italian restaurant.

Police spent the rest of the night combing the scene of the accident and taking photographs of the debris and the apparent trajectory of the suspect vehicle before it crashed into Gino's. They also interviewed multiple witnesses.

South Main Street was closed to thru-traffic for a period of time, as well as some of the entrances to the Nob Hill parking lot. CHP and Caltrans aided in the management of traffic while the scene was still active.

The Salinas Police Department is investigating the incident.

UPDATE: 10:19 P.M. Salinas Police officers say the suspect believed to have been in a car that crashed into a restaurant during a pursuit has been detained.

Investigators are unsure if the suspect was alone or was the passenger of the vehicle.

Witnesses pointed out the suspect after a pursuit ended in a violent crash, injuring at least five people eating at the Gino's Restaurant just after 8 p.m.

Police also confirm of those who were injured none sustained life-threatening injuries.

Police are still investigating if more than one person was in the car with the apparent suspect.

ORIGINAL STORY:

A police pursuit on Thursday evening ended with a car crashing into Gino's on South Main Street. KION is working to gather information surrounding injuries.

Several medical personnel were called to the scene of the accident and are attending to customers who were at the restaurant.

Police were chasing a silver Mercedes, that ran a red light at Blanco.

A witness says the Mercedes hit one other car before slamming into the Italian restaurant.

By 8:52, reporters on the scene have counted five ambulances that have left with possibly injured patrons.