No charges for ride-share driver in Arlington restaurant crash

Several people were injured when a car crashed into an Arlington, Virginia, restaurant Aug. 12. (WTOP/Dave Dildine)

The ride-share driver who crashed into Ireland’s Four Courts pub in Arlington in August, seriously injuring several people, will not face criminal charges.

In a brief statement Wednesday, Arlington County police said its “comprehensive investigation” into the Aug. 12 collision “supported the conclusion the driver experienced a medical emergency prior to the crash.”

The decision to not pursue criminal charges was made in consultation with the office of the Arlington County commonwealth’s attorney.

Dave Cahill, of Ireland’s Four Courts, said Uber finished its investigation of the incident Tuesday, enabling the restaurant to proceed with the demolition process.

“Once this is done we will know the extent of the damage,” Cahill said in a statement. “We are very (grateful) for all the support from all community (members) and from Arlington County as we start this process. We’re hoping to start the rebuild in a couple of months.”



At least 15 people were injured in the crash, which happened about 6:45 on a Friday evening. Police said the driver was traveling north on North Courthouse Road when his vehicle left the road and crashed into the restaurant on Wilson Boulevard. The vehicle caught fire after the crash.

Nine people were taken to the hospital, with two initially listed in critical condition. All of the people hurt were out of the hospital as of September. Both the driver and passenger of the ride-share sustained non-life-threatening injuries and were also taken to the hospital.

A GoFundMe page on behalf of the restaurant’s repairs raised over $95,000.

Ciara Wells

Ciara Wells is the Evening Digital Editor at WTOP. She is a graduate of American University where she studied journalism and Spanish. Before joining WTOP, she was the opinion team editor at a student publication and a content specialist at an HBCU in Detroit.

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