The car mounted the footpath and crashed into 194 Eatery on Trafalgar St. Photo: Stuff / Braden Fastier
On a busy high street, a car mounted the footpath, narrowly missed two al fresco diners and crashed through a restaurant window.
Jordan Scherer and his friend were sitting at the single table outside 194 Eatery on Trafalgar St, in Nelson, shortly before 4pm on Friday.
Scherer hadn't paid any attention to the car parked a couple of metres away, facing the restaurant.
"I was sitting on the seat outside. [The driver] just revved and went full force into the shop.
"It happened within half a second."
Scherer and his friend were showered with glass. However, despite a number of people on the street, no one was injured, he said.
First, Scherer "freaked out." Then, he made sure the driver was all right.
"She was absolutely in distress, I felt really bad for her."
Scherer said he felt fine - if a little shaken.
"I might buy a Lotto ticket."
The owner of the restaurant, who gave his name as Young, was inside the eatery at the time. He heard a crash, then saw the car.
Young was thankful that the two customers in the restaurant at the time were sitting out of harm's way in the back, he said.
He did not know if the eatery would open on Saturday, he said.
* This story originally appeared on Stuff.