A minivan crashed into a McDonald’s in the 1100 block of Howard Street early Thursday morning after the driver lost control of the vehicle.

Both the driver of the vehicle and a customer inside the fast food establishment sustained minor injuries. At around 6:52 a.m., the vehicle veered off the road at Oakley Avenue, sped across a parking lot and smashed through the establishment’s glass windows, said Evanston police Cmdr. Ryan Glew.

The driver suffered a minor leg injury and the customer sustained minor lacerations, Glew said. Both individuals were transported to St. Francis Hospital for treatment.

Glew said the vehicle began to leak gas after coming to rest in the restaurant’s dining area. The Evanston Fire Department responded and neutralized the hazard.

According to a news release from the Evanston Police Department, traffic was closed on nearby Howard Street for nearly two hours. The driver was not found to have been intoxicated, Glew said.

Glew said this was the second time in two weeks that a car crashed into this particular McDonald’s. He said a different man had been charged with a drug-related DUI after he drove his car into the establishment May 3.

EPD issued two citations to the driver Thursday, one for failing to reduce speed to avoid an accident and another for damaging a city tree.

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