PUYALLUP, Wash. — A popular Puyallup restaurant closed after a driver crashed into it Tuesday afternoon. Don’s Drive-In could be closed for months for repairs.
“They treat customers like family. All the long-time customs come here to get a burger and fish and chips and know they're going to be treated like family,” said Andrew Peterson, whose two daughters work there.
Days after the crash, the family-owned restaurant remains in shambles.
“Never in a million years would you think someone would drive through the order window and next to the fryer,” said Peterson.
On Tuesday, shortly after 1:30 p.m., Puyallup police said Harold Hurley crashed his car into the restaurant, which caused a large fryer full of hot oil to fall onto 48-year-old Jiho Yoon.
He suffered severe burns and was in the Intensive Care Unit at Harborview for days, but he is improving and, as of Friday, in satisfactory condition.
Two other employees were also burned, including the owner, Yong Kim, who was inside taking orders when the crash happened.
“I was standing right next to him and I heard him screaming. I couldn't reach him because he was stuck in the middle of the kitchen,” Kim said.
“We’ve seen some of the video and it's horrifying to hear your friend scream and not be able to help him because there's oil on him,” Peterson said.
Kim is still devastated and shocked. She’s been working to help Jiho’s family and visited the beloved employee in the hospital.
“He humored my daughters a lot. They would play lots of music, their kind of generation music. They would dress up for Halloween and put little costumes on him and pose for pictures. We’re hoping Jiho pulls through and recovers well,” Peterson said.
While the work to rebuild is only beginning, the community is stepping in to help.
“Everybody, keep Jiho in your thoughts and prayers and be ready when they open back up in four months to come support them. They are a small business and any help is going to be greatly appreciated for sure,” Peterson said.
If you’d like to help, a GoFundMe has been set up by other employees. Or you can make a physical donation at any U.S. Bank under the Jiho Yoon Foundation.