City News Cafe on the Northwest Side of Chicago did not expect to make the news on Thursday morning. The popular neighborhood spot near Cicero Avenue and Irving Park Road had probably been open for countless quiet mornings, serving regulars their coffee while the city slowly came to life. This particular Thursday, however, started with a crash, literally.
At around 4:30 a.m., Chicago police officers on patrol spotted a black Kia running a red light. That alone would have been enough to get their attention, but the vehicle also matched the description of a stolen car that had already been reported to police. When officers attempted to pull the Kia over, the driver made a choice that would set off a chain of events ending with a storefront in ruins and four people in handcuffs.
The car sped away, lost control, and slid sideways directly into the front of City News Cafe. Security footage captured the entire moment on camera, leaving little to the imagination. The crash was not a gentle nudge. It was the kind of impact that sends chairs flying and shatters glass across a dining room before the sun has even come up…