Many Pullman residents found an alarming sight at the intersection of North Grand Avenue and Northeast Stadium Way on Saturday night after a drunk driver crashed a vehicle on its side just outside of Minh’s Restaurant around 7:00 PM. 

The Pullman Police Department stated that Stephen Ungerecht (32) was arrested for DUI. Ungerecht was the sole occupant of the vehicle, which collided with a pole and then rolled on its side. He was helped from the vehicle by witnesses, walking away with a few minor injuries. No one else was injured.

Officers also recovered illegal substances related to possible inhalants from the vehicle after receiving a search warrant. 

Jennifer Lam, daughter of restaurant owners Le and Dihn Lam, was serving tables when the crash occurred. 

“I was working inside, just talking to my aunt, and when it all happened I thought a pot just dropped and thought no biggie,” Lam said. “But then my aunt stood up and ran outside and I was like, what is going on. Then two customers came in and said a car hit the building and I was like oh, that’s lovely.” 

Lam said she checked on her co- workers to make sure everyone was ok before heading outside to assess the damage. 

She walked outside to find two bystanders attempting to free the driver from the vehicle. 

“Seeing two people on top of the car trying to pry a door off was pretty horrifying,” Lam said. “Eventually they pulled it up and the guy just popped up, kinda like a mole, like hey guys. He was perfectly fine, just a little bit in shock.”  

After a few hours the crashed vehicle was removed and Lam was able to make the necessary assessments and calls to the restaurant’s insurance provider.

The damage to Minh’s Restaurant is almost completely exterior, and the popular eatery will remain open and running business as usual with plans of repairing the damaged support beams at the front of the restaurant.