Tragedy narrowly avoided as utility crashes into Shepparton restaurant

By Murray Silby

Dec 12, 2023

**Frightening:** Yuya Matsushita said he was upstairs above the restaurant when a Nissan utility crashed through the front window. Photo by Murray Silby

Only good fortune seems to have prevented a tragedy occurring in Shepparton’s CBD after a vehicle crashed into a restaurant just an hour before it usually opens for the lunch rush.

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Sergeant Mark Phillips of Shepparton police said it was lucky nobody was injured after a Nissan Patrol utility crashed through the front window of the Zen X Teppanyaki Sushi Bar at 9.50am on Tuesday, December 12.

Sergeant Phillips said the vehicle was travelling west on High St, when the driver suffered an apparent medical episode and the ute left the road.

It managed to avoid hitting any pedestrians but did crash through the front window of the restaurant.

Yuya Matsushita, from the restaurant, said the restaurant was not open at the time and he was upstairs.

Ambulance Victoria and Fire Rescue Victoria attended the scene with police.

Police said the driver of the vehicle, believed to be aged about 60, was taken to GV Health for precautionary treatment.

In a separate incident last month, five people died after a vehicle crashed into patrons sitting outside a hotel in Daylesford, north-west of Melbourne.

It’s claimed the driver in that incident on November 5 had a medical episode before the car he was driving left the road and crashed into patrons sitting outside a hotel.

That driver is facing multiple charges, including causing the death of the five victims.