Car Crashes Into Castro Valley Coffee Shop

Updated Monday, Jan. 9 at 11 a.m.

Customers at in Castro Valley's 580 Marketplace didn't need much caffeine to wake up Saturday morning after a car came crashing through the front of the store.

At 11:30 a.m., store Anita Brugman, 73, from Castro Valley drove over the shopping center sidewalk and into the front of the store, shattering the glass facade and knocking down furniture according to CHP Public Information Officer Daniel Jacowitz.

He said his customers seemed shaken up but not seriously injured.

"I was so glad," said store owner Travis Palatvong said. "I had a regular customer that sits [by the store's front window] and he left five minutes before it all happened."

Another customer had just put his coffee down by the front window, according to store employee Bora Hem, who was working at the time.

"He was about to take his seat when he saw the car coming and jumped out of the way," Hem said. "We freaked out."

Jacowitz said the customer suffered moderate injuries but declined medical aid from first responders.

"I remember glass breaking, people screaming. The whole building shook," said Jordan Lubarsky, an office assistant at Prudential Real Estate, located right next door to Bodi's Java.

"It was just someone who hit the gas instead of the brake and went over the curb and through the window," Lubarsky said.

Despite having a cement pillar located in front of the real estate office, a similar incident where an older woman drove into the office occured earlier in the year according to Lubarsky. No injuries were reported from that incident.

"[The property managers] should think about getting rails," she said.

She also suggested parking blocks be placed in the parking spaces to help prevent future accidents like these from occurring.

"The tires would get stuck before going over the sidewalk," she said.

As for the driver, according to Hem she seemed "fine." After crashing into the store, apologizing and making sure no one was injured, Hem said the woman ended up getting her nails done next door at .

As far as car damages go, Hem said she only saw a few scratches on the driver's front bumper. Jacowitz confirmed that the car was able to drive away from the scene.

Hem said the woman's insurace will cover the damages and repairs.

Bodi's Java, which currently has a boarded-up window, will undergo repair work in the coming weeks. However, Palatvong said it will remain open for customers.

CHP is further investigating the accident.