BAKERSFIELD, CA -- Portions of Shogun on California Avenue remain boarded up Sunday. But, it was a much different scene around 8 p.m. Saturday, when a car plowed through the restaurant.
"My thought immediately went to the children who were in the restaurant. Are they safe? Are they hurt," said Ashley Zaragoza, server at Shogun.
Zaragoza says she was punching in orders when she heard a loud boom.
Employees Saturday night certainly didn't think it was a car slamming through the restaurant.
"Like a gas leak in the kitchen, maybe there was an explosion," said server Gabrielle Molina.
Employees say there were about 30 people dining at the time of the accident. According to authorities, no one was injured.
"Where the crash occurred, there was no one in that area," said Zaragoza.
But, according to Zaragoza, things could have been worse.
"There was supposed to be a reservation in the room where it crashed through, but they were late to the reservation."
She says the family of about four was late 15 minutes.
Zaragoza says inspection and clean up efforts will resume next week.
"The longest it would take is like a month and a half. I'm thinking probably two or three weeks," said Zaragoza.
A sign outside the restaurant says it's closed, putting more than 20 employees out of work until it reopens.
"Hopefully I can get by with my savings until then," said the server.
Following the crash, the Environmental Health Division found the building had health and safety violations that were an immediate danger to the public.
Police say the crash is under investigation, but it appears the driver stepped on the accelerator instead of the break.
Police don't think alcohol played a factor.
