SUV Crash Into Washington, D.C., Restaurant Kills 2, Leaves 8 Injured

Two people were killed and eight others were injured when an SUV crashed into a Washington, D.C., restaurant on Friday.

Authorities initially reported that eight people total had been injured, but the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department later confirmed to Newsweek that the victim count had been raised to 10 people. This figure includes the two people who have died, both of whom are women, according to the department.

Police did not immediately release additional information on the other victims, including their names or ages.

Friday's crash is the latest of several recent incidents related to vehicle crashes in the U.S., some of which turned deadly. Reports indicated that one person was killed and several others injured when an elderly woman trying to parallel park her car drove into an outdoor dining area in Florida last month, while Seattle police fatally shot a man on Sunday who allegedly rammed a federal building with his vehicle and then opened fire.

The D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Department announced the crash and victim count on Twitter Friday afternoon and initially said that five victims were injured critically and that another three had been treated and released. Authorities did not immediately say which restaurant was struck but said that there was no structural damage.

Duncan Bedlion, commander of the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department's second district, said during a news conference Friday afternoon that the crash at the D.C. restaurant is believed to be "truly accidental."

"There was no indication that this was intentional. Unfortunately…the vehicle that was involved was operated by a person who lost control," he said.

The department's Major Crash Investigations Unit is investigating the crash to confirm that it was not intentional, he said. Bedlion added that the vehicle's driver was an elderly man and that he was in the car alone.

"He's remained cooperative, and again, there are no indications that this was intentional in any form or fashion," Bedlion said.

Bedlion asked any civilians who witnessed the crash or who could provide any additional information to contact the department.

Bedlion did not immediately name the driver but said that authorities currently believe that all the victims were adults. The victims were believed to have been sitting in the restaurant's outdoor dining area when the crash occurred, he added.

The outside of the Parthenon Restaurant & Chevy Chase Lounge appeared to be the scene of the crash, according to pictures posted on Twitter by D.C. Fire and EMS.

D.C. Fire and EMS Chief John Donnelly said during the news conference that eight victims had been transported to an area hospital. Five had "critical, life-threatening type of injuries" and the other three had non-life-threatening injuries, Donnelly said. That total victim count has since been updated to 10 people.

Update 03/11/22, 4:30 p.m. ET: This story was updated to show that a second person has died following the crash.