The Portillo’s in suburban Oswego partially reopened on Monday, several days after a car slammed into the restaurant, killing a young boy and injuring more than a dozen others.
The drive-thru at the restaurant, 2810 U.S. Highway 34, was scheduled to reopen at 3 p.m., a company spokesperson stated. Its dining room was expected to remain closed until further notice.
According to police, the incident unfolded Wednesday afternoon after a 50-year-old woman drove a car into the building, crashing through the front doors near the parking lot.
The crash killed a 2-year-old boy and left 13 others injured, police said, all of whom were inside the restaurant at the time. Eight people, including the driver, were transported to nearby hospitals, and six others were treated at the scene. According to authorities, some of the injuries were serious.
Police later described the crash a “tragic accident,” and said they were reviewing all evidence.
Village President Ryan Kauffman issued a statement following the crash, saying the village was reviewing its safety ordinances and protocols “to identify what more can be done to help prevent such tragedies in the future.”
“Oswego has required bollards for all commercial outdoor dining areas for decades, but we know that we must continue to evaluate and strengthen protections in public spaces,” the statement added. “We are also looking into how other communities have responded to similar incidents, and we are actively exploring additional safety measures. Nothing is off the table when it comes to protecting lives.”
Kauffman said he will bring the topic for discussion at a future Village Board meeting. At Monday’s upcoming meeting, the board will observe a moment of silence to honor the 2-year-old boy killed.
“We owe it to the families who are hurting—and to everyone who lives, works or visits here—to take a hard look at how we can improve public safety,” the statement said.
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