On Tuesday, March 1, an SUV crashed into the Sweet Tomatoes pizza shop in Newton, MA, killing two patrons and injuring seven other people. Reports from Boston.com and other sources said the crash occurred just after 6 p.m. According Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan, the car came straight down Chestnut Street and across Washington Street without braking before crashing into the pizza shop, per WHDH.com. Witnesses indicate that the car struck another SUV before hitting the restaurant.

Two victims, 57-year-old Eleanor Miele and 32-year-old Gregory Morin, were pronounced dead after the accident. Of the seven additional victims, four were Sweet Tomatoes employees while three were customers. At least three of the victims were treated at area hospitals before being released. One victim, 24-year-old Casey Vaughan, suffered severe injuries including a broken leg, second and third degree burns and a laceration to her head, according to her father. As of March 2, Vaughan was in critical but stable condition.

Per WHDH, the SUV crash caused so much damage to the building in which Sweet Tomatoes is located that those who lived above the pizza shop could not spend Tuesday night in their apartments due to concerns about a possible building collapse. According to NECN, the 55-year-old driver of the SUV, Brad Casler, will not be charged. However, his license has been revoked pending an investigation into the crash.

Storefront car crashes are more common than you might think. According to the Storefront Safety Council, storefront car crashes happen as many as 60 times a day, injure 4,000 people and kill 500 people every year. Restaurants and retail stores make up a combined 44 percent of storefront car crashes, while 54 percent of crashes involved drivers over the age of 50. Pedal error, DUI, operator error and traffic accidents are the most common storefront crash causes.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a storefront collision through no fault of your own, please contact the experienced lawyers at Sheff Law for a free, no-obligation case evaluation. Our team of personal injury lawyers near Newton, MA, has the resources needed to represent victims of automobile injuries, and we help our clients receive the maximum compensation for their losses.