ORLANDO, Fla. – A pickup truck smashed into the Hideaway Bar near downtown Orlando, injuring four people and leading to a DUI arrest for the driver, according to police.
“I got a phone call that says someone just drove into the front of my business,” said Chip Critcher, the owner of the bar.
The Orlando Police Department said officers responded to 516 Virginia Drive just before 6 p.m. Sunday after a vehicle crashed into a building.
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“Usually Sundays we are very busy, but thankfully for this purpose we were slow,” Critcher said
A photo from Orlando Police Department’s Twitter account shows the pickup penetrating a wall of the bar.
Two people were injured and taken to a local hospital in stable condition, according to Orlando police. Two others suffered minor injuries but refused to go to the hospital, officials said.
“My main concern is the people who got injured. The business is materialistic. It’ll get back together when it gets back together,” Critcher said. “We’re blessed that no one was majorly injured.”
Orlando police said Jackson Click, 45, was arrested on charges of DUI. According to court records, two samples showed Click’s blood alcohol level was 0.315 and 0.324, about four times over the legal limit to drive in Florida.
Police said during an observation period, Click had “glassy” eyes, a flushed face and his breath smelled of alcohol. Click, referring to the crash, said “This was the stupidest decision that I ever made,” according to police.
Click has since bonded out of jail.
When he walked out of jail, Click held his head down, eventually telling News 6 that driving into the Hideaway Bar Sunday evening was not intentional.
Investigators arrested Click - charging him dui with serious bodily injury.
Andrew Spear, who lives across the street from the bar, said he witnessed the crash.
“It sounded like he hit another car and then gunned it across the street and ran into the fence and was a little bit stuck over there and then pulled back and did a hard left into the patio,” said Spear, who added that the outcome could have been worse. “Usually this place is packed on a Sunday, so I don’t know. Christmas blessings, man. I don’t know.”
The owner said he has video surveillance that he’s not yet ready to release — because it’s too graphic — and right now, he wants to make sure his customers are all OK. News 6 also asked police for that video. They told us the case remains under investigation.
The owner said for now he plans to reopen the bar on Tuesday. At last check, the four people who were hurt are all expected to recover.
On 12/18 just before 6p.m. officers responded to a vehicle vs building (Hideaway Bar) with injuries. The driver remained on scene. There were 4 injured persons transported to the hospital by @OrlandoFireDept in stable condition. This is an ongoing investigation. pic.twitter.com/HiY7MSsWue
— Orlando Police (@OrlandoPolice) December 19, 2022
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