Vehicle Collides with Dining Establishment in Downtown Athens, Several Hurt

Late last night in the esteemed Kolonaki neighborhood of Athens, a significant traffic incident created chaos as a high-end SUV rolled into a bustling restaurant, resulting in injuries to twelve individuals. According to preliminary information provided by law enforcement, a 35-year-old male driver parked his vehicle on a steep section of Loukianou Street before entering the restaurant and requesting assistance from an employee to move it. Unfortunately, the vehicle was not properly secured, causing it to roll backwards and collide with the outdoor dining area at the corner of Loukianou and Patriarchou Ioakim streets. Witnesses described the scene as frantic, with a loud crash followed by cries from patrons and passersby. Emergency services promptly arrived, dispatching seven ambulances to transport the injured to nearby hospitals, with eleven taken to KAT Hospital for treatment and another to a different medical facility. Thankfully, all individuals hurt are now in stable condition. Responders swiftly took action, closing nearby roads temporarily to address the emergency, with traffic being restored gradually around 1:30 a.m. The driver responsible for the incident was taken into custody and is anticipated to face legal charges related to public safety endangerment and causing bodily harm due to negligence. It was noted by experts that the outcome could have been much worse if not for the presence of trees that slowed down the SUV's movement. Eventually, a tow truck removed the SUV from the location.