At the Lake: U-Haul crashes into Subway

The driver of a 14-foot U-Haul truck with a trailer crashed Wednesday into the back entrance of a South Lake Tahoe Subway sandwich shop at the "Y."

The crash at 11:02 a.m. shattered glass and broke into the restaurant wall, authorities said.

The 49-year-old driver was traveling north on Highway 89 when he had a seizure, according to the South Lake Tahoe Fire Department. He cut off another driver, entered the "Y" parking lot and hit the restaurant.

The driver was taken by ambulance to Barton Memorial Hospital. His condition was unknown Wednesday afternoon.

Three employees but no customers were inside the restaurant at the time of the crash. The truck hit one of the eatery's tables.

"We were fortunate no one was sitting at any of those tables," said South Lake Tahoe Fire Marshal Ray Zachau. "You would have expected more people in there at 11 a.m. It's fortunate that no one got run over."

Subway assistant manager Nelson Sagastume was inside cleaning windows just before the crash. The driver hit his rental car, a white Nissan Sentra.

"I saw the guy shaking," Sagastume said. "He collapsed, and he hit my car. I ran around outside and wanted to help. It made a huge noise."

Eight-year-old Jonah Watson was inside Merry Maids, a neighboring business, when the crash occurred.

"I ran outside and saw it happen," Watson said. "I think it's pretty bad. It made a big crash."

There was no alcohol involved in the crash, according to South Lake Tahoe police Sgt. Brad Williams.

Elk Grove resident Jeremy Earegood was driving on Highway 89 when he was cut off by the U-Haul driver.

"He pulled out of a U-Haul location and was swerving lanes," Earegood said.

Earegood got out of his car and jumped inside the U-Haul. He said the driver was wearing a U-Haul uniform.

"His foot was stuck on the accelerator," Earegood said. "He was laying down and unconscious and not responding at all. He had vomit around his mouth."

Earegood took the driver's pulse and made sure he was breathing.

"It happened in front of me. I wasn't just going to drive by," he said.