San Juan Capistrano Business Damaged After Tuesday Car Crash

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, CA — A local business in San Juan Capistrano suffered damages after a car crashed into its storefront early Tuesday morning, Orange County Sheriff's Department reported.

Authorities arrested the driver under suspicion of driving under the influence. The suspect is no longer in custody, but the case remains under investigation, Sgt. Todd Hylton of OCSD tells Patch.

The crash occurred on Camino Capistrano near Ortega Highway, where lanes were temporarily blocked off while authorities investigated. OCSD was called to the scene around 2:50 a.m. Tuesday.

"It appears that [the vehicle] crashed into a local business," Hylton said. "When we first got there, we rendered aid to make sure everyone was OK, and during the investigation, there was an arrest made for a possible DUI."

Hylton said the suspect was transported to a nearby hospital for injuries following the arrest. San Juan Capistrano Public Works was also called to the scene to address telephone poles damaged in the crash.

The storefront damaged in the collision was Ortega Capistrano's Trading Post, a Native American goods store, The Capistrano Dispatch reported Wednesday. The store owner, Bill Ortega, was in New Mexico when the accident occurred.

"This happens every so often," Ortega told The Capistrano Dispatch, referring to the number of traffic accidents that take place on the intersection of Camino Capistrano and Ortega Highway. "Hopefully, we'll be open by the weekend."