83-Year-Old Drives Into Wilmette Panera, 3 Injured

WILMETTE, IL — Three people suffered minor injuries after a driver crashed through the front window of a downtown restaurant. The two customers inside were taken to the hospital by emergency personnel who were called to the Panera Bread at 1199 Wilmette Ave. shortly after 6 p.m. Tuesday.

An 83-year-old Wilmette woman was found sitting behind the wheel of a Cadillac sedan that had come to a stop inside the restaurant, police said. She was issued two tickets over the crash.

Police said they found a 67-year-old Des Plaines woman sitting on the floor in front of the vehicle's bumper and determined she had been standing near the restaurant's counter when she was hit by the vehicle and broken glass after the front window shattered.

Another customer, a 38-year-old Kenilworth woman, was also near the counter when the vehicle crashed through the window. Police said she fell as she tried to flee the shattering glass.

Both of the women who had been customers in breached eatery were taken to Evanston Hospital in good condition. The driver also suffered minor injuries in the crash but was not taken to the hospital, police said.

Eliane Joyce, of the 1400 block of Sheridan Road, was issued citations for two traffic offenses: failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident and driving on the sidewalk, according to police. She's due in court April 17.

The Winnetka Fire Department assisted Wilmette police and fire personnel at the scene, according to Wilmette Police Deputy Chief Patrick Collins.