Two food influencers barely escaped death when a car crashed into a restaurant where they were filming a video for their food channel. However, since the unfortunate incident, the Texas eatery has reopened for business.
Ivory Watkins, the owner of Cuvee Culinary Creations in Houston, stated that the incident happened at approximately 4 p.m. on August 16.
As Nina Santiago and Patrick Blackwood were eating there, they accidentally recorded a startling video of the incident, which the restaurant later posted on its Instagram page.
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Santiago, also known online as Nina Unrated, was filming her YouTube series, “Nina Unrated Eats,” with fellow content creator Blackwood when an SUV driver crashed through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows where they were sitting. The impact knocked over the table and scattered the dishes right in front of them.
As Santiago and Blackwood jumped out of their seats, other customers and restaurant employees can be seen in the background of the footage, watching in disbelief.
According to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, a female driver informed officers that she thought she had put her car in park, but it rolled into the restaurant when she let go of the brake pedal, per NBC News.
The restaurant owner described this incident as “a freak accident,” telling ABC News that he had just stepped away from Santiago and Blackwood’s table seconds before the crash.
“I was looking at my two customers and thinking, ‘What is going on? This is crazy,” he recalled. “We never know what God has in store for us — I’m glad they’re safe.”
Watkins said that he immediately dialed 911 after the incident occurred, and that the restaurant’s manager instantly attended to Santiago and Blackwood, treating their wounds and scratches until paramedics came.
According to Watkins, “police came out and did their due diligence,” and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office filed a report.
The owner apologized for the incident, saying, “My job at my restaurant is to keep my guests safe. I fell short.”
“We were glad that we didn’t have any more guests [at the time of the crash],” he added. “The main thing is everybody is safe.”
NBC News reported that the restaurant said it was still awaiting repair estimates.
“The chef, influencers, guests, and staff were all blessed to not be severely harmed,” the restaurant’s spokesperson told the outlet. “We appreciate the love and support.”
Meanwhile, Santiago later shared on Instagram that she was “beyond grateful to be alive.” She posted several pictures of herself and Blackwood with cuts on their faces, necks, arms, and hands taken inside an ambulance and at the hospital where they were receiving treatment for their wounds.
As she waited to receive stitches, Santiago also taped a video message to the camera in which she expressed her gratitude for her life, according to NBC News. She explained that she was only trying to smile and repeat that everything was fine.
“This is the second accident this month,” Santiago explained. “The fact that we walked away from both accidents … maybe I’m just delusional right now, but I’m just like, it’s like I want to break down and cry and I just can’t.”
At the end of the video, they went back to CuVee’s Culinary Creations for dinner. Santiago said her heart was beating, but she wanted to “deal with my PTSD” as quickly as possible.
“We came back just to make sure to have peace of mind, and also because the food is actually amazing,” Santiago said.
Although the windows of the restaurant are boarded up, Watkins managed to reopen for business on Sunday. According to him, the establishment has introduced new safety precautions, such as parking two company and two employee cars in front of the window seating in the restaurant.
