A pickup truck slammed into the side of a brick strip mall building in an outlot at Gurnee Mills on Grand Avenue near Hunt Club Road in Gurnee, Sunday, April 7, 2024. YouTube Tips ⓘ
Gurnee police and firefighter/paramedics responded about 8:37 p.m. Sunday, April 7, 2024 to a report of crash with injuries at the Panera Bread restaurant, 6440 Grand Avenue in Gurnee. Callers reported smoke coming from the pickup truck, but the smoke was likely a discharge from an activated air bag.
Police and firefighter/paramedics on arrival discovered that the crash was actually in the Xfinity space next-door to Panera Bread, but that a natural gas leak was affecting the interior of the building. Only one occupant was in the pickup truck, and he was extricated by 8:40 p.m. Initially, no injuries to restaurant customers or employees were reported.
The male driver of the pickup truck was transported to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville. Fire command summoned police to the ambulance where the driver was being assessed and treated; however, there was initially no indication whether the crash involved a medical incident, or some type of unlawful impaired driving.
Gurnee fire command also requested help from police officers to get the Panera Bread interior space evacuated. The restaurant currently closes every night of the week at 9:00 p.m.
North Shore gas was also requested to respond to the scene, to secure and/or repair an active gas leak. North Shore Gas shut down the gas leak by 9:06 p.m.
The driver of the pickup truck — a Silver Chevrolet Silverado — crossed a curb grass area from a small parking lot to the northeast of the building, and then crossed the Drive-Thru lanes at the back of the building. Tire tracks were visible across the grass.
A Panera Bread and the Xfinity Store by Comcast are located in the building that was hit. The building is about 110 feet by 90. A smaller building — about 90 feet by 80 feet is located just to the east of the building that was hit.
A large, vehicle-width hole in a brick wall was opened up by the vehicle. A board-up company secured the damaged wall.
LIVE TRAFFIC MAP of neighborhood of the incident near 6440 Grand Avenue …
More Cardinal news Monday April 8, 2024 …
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