Driver Crashes into Springfield Panera

A driver behind the wheel of a Mercedes G-Class sliced through a Springfield Panera restaurant yesterday, demolishing a wall and running over a booth that was fortunately not occupied at the time of the crash.

"I just saw a G wagon in Panera. It was crazy," Missouri State University student Garrett Reinwald told KY3.

The crash occurred around 4:30 p.m. near MSU's campus. No one was seriously hurt, though two diners did receive minor injuries.


An MSU public relations major told the university's student newspaper, The Standard, that two women dining at a booth adjacent to the wall the Mercedes rammed through had to have a window lifted off of them by other patrons. The student added that about 20 minutes before the incident, someone had been sitting at the booth that was run over.

"I’m so glad that she got up and left when she did,” Katelyn Farr told The Standard.

The driver of the Mercedes was attempting to turn from National Avenue onto Elm Street but, according to Springfield Police Department Lieutenant Steve Schwind, “didn’t quite make the turn.”


The driver has not been publicly identified or charged, but the Springfield Police Department says he did cooperate with authorities. A police spokesperson tells the RFT that police are still investigating the matter.

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