Car Crashes Into Echo Park's Pizza Buona, Injuring One

Israel Palacios shakes his head, looking out the blown-out doorway at the southwest corner of Alvarado Street and Sunset Boulevard on Tuesday evening.

"We asked them to put up a concrete barrier along the sidewalk there 20 years ago," he said.

"That was the last time something like this happened."

Palacios says that time a baby was killed as a vehicle careened into the Pizza Buona storefront.

On Tuesday night, no one died, but a pregnant 20-year-old woman was injured.

An Acura heading west on Sunset lost control and headed through the glass double-doors into the dining area, dragging the woman with it.

According to reports, the woman injured was outside in front of the restaurant and was pushed inside by the car, where she was found vomiting and bleeding.

No patrons were inside the front dining area when the car broke through the two glass doors at the entryway around 5 p.m.

As we reported last year, Pizza Buona is popular with families, who bring their children there after school and in the early evenings.

Read more about Pizza Buona's long history in Echo Park here.

The accident did not appear to affect the back kitchen area. Workers could be seen around 7 p.m. with Pizza Buona's owner Norman Palacios, though no meals were being prepared.

Son Israel Palacios says he hopes the restaurant dining area will re-open in a few days, despite the shattered glass and furniture.

At least the popular jukebox appeared to be unharmed.

Palacios also said he hopes the accident will prompt local officials to again look into putting a concrete barrier at Sunset Boulevard and Alvarado Street outside.