IFD: 22-year-old with learner’s permit crashes dealership’s car into Indy restaurant during test drive

INDIANAPOLIS — Indy fire crews said thankfully no one was injured Wednesday after a 22-year-old driver with a learner’s permit crashed a local dealership’s car into a near east side restaurant while on a test drive, narrowly missing a person in an electric wheelchair and an inflatable tube man.

Indianapolis Fire Department crews were called around noon to the El Paseo Catracho restaurant at Washington Street and Keystone Avenue after a car crashed into a building. According to IFD, no one was injured in the crash but the building suffered significant structural damage.

Officials posted on social media that the driver involved in the crash was a 22-year-old woman who only had her learner’s permit. She was reportedly test-driving a dealership car with a licensed passenger inside.

IFD said the woman told firefighters that she was making a right turn onto Washington Street from Keystone Avenue and lost control of her car before hitting the building.

Security video of the incident, provided by IFD and shown below, shows the car narrowly missing a person in an electric wheelchair on the sidewalk and an inflatable tube man outside of the restaurant.

Officials said that no patrons were inside the restaurant and that the driver nor the passenger were injured. Indianapolis Metro police are now investigating the crash, IFD said.

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