Car barrels into IHOP
<p>A firefighter with the Coeur d'Alene Fire Department surveys the damage of the southern wall of IHOP after an SUV crashed through the restaurant that was open for business. The female driver was transported to Kootenai Medical Center with minor injuries.</p>
<p>Keith Clemans, building inspector for the City of Coeur d'Alene, takes a look at the surrounding structural features where a vehicle crashed through IHOP shortly after 8:00 a.m. Sunday. No patrons were seated in the room where the crash happened.</p>
COEUR d'ALENE - A 26-year-old woman Sunday morning drove a silver 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee into the side of the Fourth Street IHOP Restaurant.
Nobody inside the restaurant was struck by the vehicle or reported injuries even though she completely breached the exterior wall on the south side of the building at 8 a.m.
The investigation so far shows she was westbound on I-90 and exited at Fourth Street and then just plowed into the restaurant.
"I've been in that area (of the restaurant) on a Sunday and it was just full of people," said Lt. Lee Brainard of the Coeur d'Alene police department.
Employees at the restaurant declined comment. The place is known officially as the International House of Pancakes and is located at 2301 N. Fourth Street just north of Interstate 90.
Brainard said the woman suffered no injuries visible to officers but was transported to Kootenai Medical Center where she received further evaluation.
Brainard said alcohol use is suspected as a factor in the crash. Due to the ongoing medical evaluations she was not physically arrested.
She was issued a citation for driving under the influence. A blood alcohol test is pending, he said.
"None of the witnesses were able to estimate her speed," he said.