Cook crashes vehicle into Tysons Corner diner, sparks fire

The scene after a crash at the Silver Diner in Tysons Corner Wednesday afternoon. (Courtesy Michal Allon)
The scene after a crash at the Silver Diner in Tysons Corner Wednesday afternoon. (Courtesy Michal Allon)
(Courtesy Michal Allon)
(Courtesy Michal Allon)
(Courtesy Michal Allon)
(1/4)
The scene after a crash at the Silver Diner in Tysons Corner Wednesday afternoon. (Courtesy Michal Allon)

WASHINGTON — An employee of a Tysons Corner diner crashed his SUV into the restaurant Wednesday afternoon, starting a fire and sending several people to the hospital.

At about 12:40 p.m., a SUV crashed into Silver Diner, located at 8101 Fletcher St. in McLean, said Sgt. Roger Henriquez with Fairfax County police. The collision sparked a fire that engulfed the vehicle.

The driver was a Silver Diner cook who had worked at the restaurant for two years, said Silver Diner spokeswoman Matilde Ott. The cook, whose name has not yet been released, is in police custody and has been terminated from his position since the crash, Ott added.

The cook had been on bereavement leave from the diner since April 5, said Vicki Bendure, a corporate spokesperson.

It is not yet clear what led to the crash.

Four people, including the driver, were injured as a result of the crash. All of them are expected to survive, said a Fairfax County police spokesperson at the scene.

“Our main concern right now is with the families of our associates and of our customers that were at the Tysons location,” Ott said. “Our hearts go out to them and the people that were injured today.”

As of 4:30 p.m., Fairfax County police said charges have not been filed.

Ott said a counselor will be made available to employees and patrons affected by the crash. Those interested can call 703-239-3324.

Watch raw video from the scene, courtesy of WTOP’s broadcast news partner, NBC Washington:

Below is a map with the location of the incident:

WTOP’s Kristi King contributed to this report.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correctly identify the number of years the cook had worked at the diner.

Sarah Beth Hensley

Sarah Beth Hensley is the Digital News Director at WTOP. She has worked several different roles since she began with WTOP in 2013 and has contributed to award-winning stories and coverage on the website.

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