Cars Crash Into Oak Lawn Tavern, Miss People Outside Smoking

OAK LAWN, IL -- Two cars crashed into an Oak Lawn bar late Wednesday evening. About 100 people were inside TC’s Pub at 97th Street and Cicero when patrons and staff said they heard a terrific noise around 11:20 p.m. The vehicles barely missed that patrons who were outside the building smoking.

A bartender who gave his name as Jeremy, told Patch that he and some other people were smoking under the canopy facing 97th street when they saw two cars traveling in opposite directions coming toward them. One of the vehicles, a crossover vehicle, was traveling northbound on Cicero was trying to turn westbound on 97th Street. A white car was heading southbound when both vehicles veered off to either side of the building.

“[The crossover vehicle] was in the turn lane when the [white] car going southbound plowed into it,” Jeremy said. “All we heard was a crash. We didn’t see it going.”

A Trace ambulance saw the accident occur. The ambulance pulled over to make sure the occupants of both vehicles were OK. Jeremy said a man was driving the crossover and a woman was in the front seat. The white car had a single driver.

"I opened the driver’s side door and the [driver’s] seat was empty,” the bartender said. “The driver jumped out of the passenger door. All the airbags were deployed.”

The bartender did not know if the SUV was trying to evade being hit by the other car, which came to a rest against the front window of TC’s. Jeremy said there about 95 to 100 people inside the bar at the time of the crash. There were no injuries.

“Police asked us if there were fumes coming into the building,” Jeremy told Patch. “We said yes, so they asked us to evacuate the building. We could smell antifreeze from the radiator.”

Oak Lawn police were not available for comment. It is unknown if the drivers were cited or if anyone was arrested.

Photos by Robert Olson | Ryan Pearce