SUV crashes into Washington restaurant, injuring 11

(Reuters) – Eleven people were injured, five critically, in Washington on Friday when an SUV crashed into the outdoor seating area of a restaurant in what police believe was an accident.

Firefighters and police officers responded at 12:15 p.m. local time to the Parthenon Restaurant in the Chevy Chase neighborhood where they found a gray SUV had gone off the road and into the patio area of the establishment, a D.C. Fire and EMS spokesperson said.

Five of the eight people who were taken to area hospitals were in critical condition. Three other people were treated at the scene for minor injuries and released, the department said.

The incident appeared to be unintentional. The driver of the SUV was an elderly man who may have lost control of his vehicle or suffered a medical emergency, a Metropolitan Police Department spokesperson said.

It was unclear if the driver was injured, police said.

(Reporting by Brendan O’Brien in Chicago; Editing by David Gregorio)