Hit-And-Run Driver Slams Into Hancock Park Restaurant, Injuring Customer

HANCOCK PARK (CBSLA) — Witnesses say a driver slammed into a restaurant in Hancock Park Saturday, hit a customer and then took off.

The owner of the restaurant told CBSLA's Cristy Fajardo that he was horrified as he watched and saw that the man could not get out of the way in time.

Witnesses say about 4:30 p.m. the driver of the SUV turned onto Melrose from Cahuenga and lost control.

The manager of the restaurant, who is also the owner's son, said it looked like a movie -- the SUV drifted across lanes and slammed into Tere's Mexican Grill.

Two customers were eating outside. One got out of the way in time but the other was pushed into the building.

The metal reinforcement stopped the SUV from going in further. That's when witnesses saw the driver of the SUV back up and take off, leaving the injured man behind and good Samaritans to help him.

"I saw the guy pop up immediately," said the restaurant's owner Roberto Melgar. "I'm sure he had adrenaline running. Feeling nothing at that point but soon after he fell to the ground, blood was coming from his head, his ankle."

"Running. Take my jean jacket off. And I just see the guy laying and I'm like 'OK everybody clear out. I need gloves, towels.' I was like 'just move away. Stay calm. Breathe in and out.' And then I took the towels and pressed it on his leg until the cops could get here," said good Samaritan Shakora Sykes.

Witnesses say another good Samaritan ran after the SUV to get a license plate number and police found the SUV abandoned nearby.

LAPD say they can't give any more information until Monday.