2 hurt when car slams into restaurant in Evanston police chase

Two people suffered minor injuries Friday evening when a police chase ended with a car crashing into a restaurant in north suburban Evanston.

The car took off when an officer tried to pull it over for a traffic violation about 6:30 p.m. near Church Street and Ridge Avenue, according to Evanston police.

It hit another car at the intersection of Davis Street and Sherman Avenue and careened into the front window of the Freshii restaurant at 1569 Sherman Ave., police said. It was closed for the holiday at the time of the crash, Evanston fire officials said.

The 18-year-old man at the wheel of the fleeing car and a 22-year-old man in the front passenger seat were taken to Evanston Hospital with minor injuries. A 25-year-old woman in the back seat declined medical attention, as did the 51-year-old woman who was driving the other vehicle in the crash at the intersection, police said.

Officers found a handgun and a small amount of cannabis in the car that crashed into the restaurant, police said. No charges had been filed as of Friday night.

The building’s front window was smashed but it didn’t sustain any structural damage.