A pickup truck slammed into Big Rock Cafe on Thursday, injuring a 71-year-old driver and two employees who were in the kitchen at the time of the afternoon crash.

According to a report from the Kane County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched at around 1 p.m. to the Big Rock Café, 103 W. Galena St. in the village of Big Rock, for a report that a vehicle had crashed through the front wall of the restaurant. Upon arrival, deputies discovered that a 2006 Chevrolet Colorado pickup had pulled into the parking lot of restaurant.

“Instead of applying the brakes to stop, the driver hit the gas pedal which caused the truck to crash into the side of the building,” the Sheriff’s Office reported.

The truck partially entered the kitchen area before it came to a stop.

Two employees who were in the kitchen — Ajradin Ahmed, 51, and Jose Medina, 39 — were injured. The driver of the truck, Richard Mayer, 71, of Somonauk, and Ahmed were transported to an Aurora hospital for non-life threatening injuries.

Three customers who were inside the restaurant at the time of the crash were uninjured.

It does not appear drugs or alcohol played a role in this crash, the Sheriff’s Office said. Mayer was cited for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident. Concentration is vital while on the road. It is easy for accidents to happen if the driver is not paying attention. Truck drivers are generally delivering/picking up items from one place to another, so long journeys on the road is possibly an everyday occurrence. To make sure you are ready to hit the road, be sure you getting enough sleep ready for the morning. It is also essential for all truck drivers to have Electronic Logging Devices fitted to their vehicles to easily track their hours of service and the miles driven. While you’re in work mode, it is sometimes understandable not to take your breaks. But most of the times, breaks are their for your own benefit. It helps you recharge and feel fresh, even if it is just 10 minutes. Take a look into a site like https://bestelddevices.com/transflo-eld/ where you can find out the benefits of using these devices for your vehicle. Staying safe on the road is and should always be your top priority.

The Kane County Building Division, which provides building inspection services to the village of Big Rock under an intergovernmental agreement, sent a building inspector to the scene and found that the truck had penetrated the building at a location where an overhead door used to be, just missing the supporting parts of the wall on either side. The truck was removed so that temporary repairs could begin.

The Big Rock Café will be closed until further notice due to the damage caused by the crash, the Sheriff’s Office reported.

SOURCE: Kane County Sheriff’s Office