A stolen police SUV smashed into a Bristol diner at lunchtime Thursday, part of a convoluted multi-town tale of an alleged carjacker on the loose.
A guest estimates there were 14 people in Palma's Diner at about 12:15 pm when the SUV crashed through the front doors and into the small dining room. The impact left shattered glass and mangled chairs, but no customers or staff were hurt. The front counter happened to be unattended as it was plowed about 10 feet into tables behind it, according to the owners' son, Paul Palma.
"Ultimately, we're thankful that this is the extent of it," says Palma. "The property will be replaced, that's what insurance is for. People's lives are the things that you can't replace. So, everybody made it out safe. Nobody inside was hurt. That's what's most important to us."
The driver was Jimmie Shoemaker-Gonzalez, 39, according to Bristol police. He's charged with first degree larceny and is held on $1M bail. He was hospitalized for his injuries.
The chase began in Farmington at just after 12 pm, when police responded to a "motor vehicle complaint" involving a Dodge Durango driving on U.S. Rte. 6. Farmington police say the stolen Durango crashed into a rock wall at the entrance of an apartment complex.
Abandoning the Durango, the driver stole a Toyota RAV4 at knifepoint and sped off. A 27-year-old man suffered minor injuries and was taken to Bristol Hospital for treatment.
The RAV4 crossed from Farmington into Bristol. Bristol police say they were investigating that carjacking when their SUV was stolen. They haven't said how that happened, but they say shots were fired and a chase began.
That pursuit ended with the sudden impact into the entryway of Palma's Diner on Stafford Ave. It's unclear why the police SUV driven by the suspect crashed there.
Norman Morneault was eating lunch with his wife at Palma's. He says the driver appeared to be unconscious after impact, and was immediately surrounded by police.
"We went to look to help the officer," says Morneault, "but we realized it's not an officer."
The state Inspector General's office, which probes shootings when police are involved, is investigating and did not respond to a request for comment.
