Shocking Near-Miss Caught On Camera As SUV Careens Out Of Control

NAPA, CA — It was a "VERY close call" Monday when a driver who lost control of her SUV narrowly avoided hitting a local restaurant and possibly even a mother and her young children who just a second or two earlier had exited the front doors of the business.

"This scary video is a good reminder to always be aware of your surroundings," Napa PD said in posting the video to Facebook. "This family was just stepping out of a restaurant when the driver of the car lost control. Only minor injuries were reported when it was all said and done."

Lt. Chase Haag of the Napa Police Department told Patch the incident happened at 5 p.m. Monday in front of Villa Corona Cocina, a Mexican-food restaurant located in the Bel Aire shopping center off Trancas Street.

"Luckily there were no serious injuries," Haag said.

The driver, a 60-year-old Napa woman, was cooperative with officers who showed up to investigate the crash, according to the lieutenant.

"From what officers were able to determine, there were no medical, criminal or other factors that contributed to the driver losing control of her car," Haag said.

"[The] Toyota SUV ... hit the planters in the front of the restaurant but did not hit the actual building structure," he said.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the video of the close call had over 58,000 views and some 500 comments — including one comment from a friend of the woman who along with her two young children narrowly escaped being hit by the car.

"The babies and she are fine" although shocked and scared, the friend wrote. Her friend's young daughter fell down and got some scratches right after the car whizzed past them, she said.

Bay City News reported that the driver of the car and the little girl were taken to Queen of the Valley Hospital as a precaution.

A Napa police sergeant told Bay City News it was fortunate the weather was drizzly; otherwise there may have been customers seated on the patio.

As the SUV careened out of control, it hit the restaurant's outdoor tables and chairs before crashing into a wall that separates the shopping center from a neighborhood.