Officer slams into burger shop after being struck by suspected DUI driver in El Monte

Surveillance video captured the moment a suspected DUI driver slammed into a police car, sending the vehicle crashing into a popular burger restaurant in El Monte.

The crash happened Thursday night at Art’s Burger located at 11629 Valley Blvd.

As the El Monte officer was driving to a service call, the suspect crashed into the patrol vehicle. The violent impact sent the patrol car over the curb and into the burger shop’s archway, causing the roof to partially collapse. The car continued skidding and hit a second awning structure in the back.

Four employees were inside the restaurant at the time and several remain shaken up by the incident, according to Alyssa Gomez, the restaurant’s manager.

Gomez said one of the young workers, an 18-year-old, said the incident was terrifying. He remembers hearing a loud screeching noise before the building suddenly collapsed.

A female employee was injured as glass and debris entered her eyes during the impact. She required medical care but is doing well and recovering, Gomez said.

No customers were inside the restaurant as it was near closing time. The popular burger joint is a family-owned business that has been serving the local community since 1950.

Gomez said the restaurant has been forced to shut down for now and they are unable to pay their employees or earn income from regular customers.

“We have a lot of people — city council members, the El Monte Police Department, people who own large companies nearby” that place large orders throughout the week, Gomez explained.

They’re hoping to reopen for business soon, but are unsure how long repairs may take or cost.

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For now, they are trying to find the funds to pay around 20 employees who have been forced out of work.

“We are trying our best to come up with a way to retain our employees,” said Tammy Meier, the owner’s daughter who co-owns the restaurant. “Would we love to pay them? Of course. But we don’t have income coming in. We’re trying our best to go through insurance and retain our employees. It’s our top priority.”

The owner, Art, has been working at the restaurant since he was 15 years old in 1970. He purchased the restaurant in 1999 and renamed it Art’s Burgers.

Meier said some workers have been with them for over 15 years and the shop holds a very special place in her heart.

“The most special thing about this restaurant is that my parents met here,” Meier said. “So without this place, I don’t exist.”

“A lot of things have been happening these past few days but hopefully we can all come together and rebuild because everyone loves coming to Art’s Burgers,” Gomez said of the beloved shop. “Friends and family all come and Art is a very loving, caring guy.”

The suspect driver, Maclovio Figueroa, 47, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence. The police officer was examined at the hospital, but was not seriously injured and later released.

A GoFundMe page to help support the restaurant’s workers and rebuilding efforts can be found here.

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