SUV crashes into Carrollwood restaurant, narrowly missing workers and customers

An SUV crashed into a Carrollwood restaurant Tuesday afternoon after the driver tried to avoid another vehicle in a shopping plaza, narrowly missing employees and leaving no one inside with serious injuries.Tampa Bay 28 I-Team Investigator Katie LaGrone was on the scene as she captured what unraveled as a white 2013 Ford Expedition smashed through the Village Center Shopping Plaza at 13134 N. Dale Mabry Highway. The crash happened around 2:15 p.m. on July 21, 2026. According to Plate Tapas Grill & Lounge's manager and witnesses at the scene, the SUV entered Plates restaurant after the driver attempted to dodge another vehicle that was backing out of a parking space. The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office has not released details about the circumstances leading up to the crash. The sheriff's office said the driver lost control and deputies did not observe any signs of impairment. Noi Vongsa, manager of Plate Tapas Grill Lounge & Lounge, said he was in the kitchen area when it happened. He said no customers were inside the restaurant."We were sitting all the way in the back, I ran out through the dinning room area, see a car in the dinning room area. Smoke was everywhere. It was crazy," said Vongsa. The driver suffered minor injuries, and no one inside the restaurant was hurt."I saw the driver hop out of the car. He was walking and I was just making sure he was good. He wasn't hurt as bad," said Vongsa.The manager of Plate told LaGrone he was working in the kitchen when he heard what sounded like an explosion, then ran into the dining room and found a vehicle inside the restaurant. "We just heard a real loud noise like you thought something exploded," he said. The manager said he typically takes a break around 3:00 p.m. and usually sits in the booth closest to the windows. He feels fortunate he was not injured and his staff is also safe. Plate Tapas Grill & Lounge was open at the time of the crash, but the dining room was largely empty.The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said the Ford Expedition struck three other vehicles in the parking lot.The crash caused significant damage to the restaurant. An engineer must inspect the building before the restaurant can reopen, according to the manager."Just grateful no one's hurt. Thank God for that," said Vongsa.