The McDonald’s restaurant at Puainako temporarily halted its dine-in services Monday after a Hilo man crashed into one of its side entrances. ADVERTISING The McDonald’s restaurant at Puainako temporarily halted its dine-in services Monday after a Hilo man crashed into
The McDonald’s restaurant at Puainako temporarily halted its dine-in services Monday after a Hilo man crashed into one of its side entrances.
Masaaki Oshiba, 79, said he was driving the car in the parking lot near the McDonald’s drive-through when he lost control of the vehicle.
“I guess I was going a little too fast. I tried to stop. I tried to slow down, but it was too late,” he said.
Oshiba’s wife was a passenger in the vehicle at the time of the accident.
Neither Oshiba nor his wife suffered from any injuries.
Craig Okui, store manager with McDonald’s in Hilo, said he was in a meeting when he got the phone call that someone had crashed a car into the restaurant.
“All we know is that the gentleman evidently wanted to come to McDonald’s, tried to stop and didn’t,” Okui said. “He ended up parking inside the door.”
The dine-in services reopened later in the day.
Police did not provide additional information on the incident.
Okui said he anticipates it’ll be a while before construction will be finished at the 2100 Kanoelehua Ave. location. The restaurant recently underwent a full renovation and held a grand reopening Nov. 11.
