Bonita restaurant back open after car plows through window

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BONITA SPRINGS, Fla.- A Bonita Springs restaurant is back in business after having to close for weeks when a car plowed through the front window in October.

Five people were injured in the crash; one of the Old 41 Restaurant’s managers suffered the worst injuries.

“It could’ve killed people. I think I’m lucky,” said former manager, Larry Storniolo.

Storniolo says the day changed his life, but he’s thankful it didn’t take his life.

“It hit me and threw me back and I was awake the whole time, I knew what happened,” he said.

Old 41 Restaurant was busy on its first day back open. Restaurant owner Tony Backos says the damage was so bad, it took even longer than he expected to reopen.

“We opened at 7 a.m. and we were very busy. We were packed between 7 and 7:30, which is rare to be busy that early. And the majority of the people who came, were people who were here the day of the accident,” said Backos.

Back when the crash happened, WINK News spoke to the man who was driving the car. He said his foot got caught on the pedal and that it was an honest mistake. He was cited for careless driving.

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