Car crashes into Baba Budan's
Clifton Heights restaurant facade wrecked by car early Monday morning
By Ariel Cheung | Published: 02/20/12 11:45am | Updated: 02/23/12 12:18am | No comments
by Christopher Wells |
A car crashed into the front of local coffee shop Baba Budan’s Bearcat Cafe at approximately 4 a.m. Monday.
Three months after Jerusalem Restaurant exploded, another Clifton Heights restaurant was damaged when a car crashed into its facade early Monday morning.
Baba Budan’s Bearcat Cafe, located at 239 W. McMillan St., was pummeled by a car at approximately 4 a.m.
The driver fell asleep behind the wheel, according to reports.
The cafe will be closed until repairs are made, which could be as early as this week, said owner Tony Hamburg.
The intersection of McMillan Street and Clifton Avenue is a tricky one, Hamburg said, which is why he’s been pushing city officials to put a barrier up.
“I think a barrier would be great to have to shield pedestrians,” Hamburg said. “The comment we get is they don’t think it’ll be specifically appealing. And to me, to lose a UC student’s life don’t make sense, aesthetically appealing or not.”
The car crash happened just three months after the cafe’s next-door neighbor, Jerusalem Restaurant, exploded in what fire officials have declared an act of arson.
Aiman Arabeiat, the owner of Jerusalem Restaurant, was indicted on two accounts of aggravated arson in November. His trial is scheduled for March 8.
The News Record will continue to update this story as more information becomes available.

