Mariano Gomez Ajtum, of Orlando, was ticketed for improper backing and driving without a valid license after the incident, which occurred just before 12:30 p.m. on Monday at the restaurant at 7419 International Drive and was captured on a surveillance camera, WFTV reported.
The only vehicle involved in the crash was a 2013 Dodge pickup, Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) said in a release shared with Newsweek.
In a series of tweets, Orange County Fire Rescue confirmed there were no injuries in the collision.
“Only a few patrons in the restaurant at the time. No-one was in the women’s restroom where the truck ended up,” it said, posting photos from the scene.
A later update contained a 48-second video clip showing the moment the truck reversed at speed directly into the wall. It remains unclear why the driver failed to hit the breaks, authorities said. The crash resulted in significant damage to the interior and ceiling of the restroom, the department’s photographs show.
According to WFTV, Ajtum initially fled the scene but later returned, telling officials that he had left to inform his employer about what had happened. The FHP report noted the driver had been wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash and the incident was not alcohol-related.
It said Ajtum was in the parking lot adjacent to the Chuck E. Cheese before the incident. “For an unknown reason, the vehicle driver failed to stop before it struck a building,” it stated. He was issued with a notice to appear before a judge for driving without a license, the FHP added.
The Chuck E. Cheese was forced to temporarily close its doors after the crash.
Orange County Fire Rescue Public Information Officer Mike Jachles told Newsweek: “Fortunately because the time of day, there were only a few patrons in the restaurant at the time.
He added: “The truck crashed through the women’s restroom and knocked the toilet right off of the plumbing. Had there been anyone in the restroom, they most likely would have been injured. We received the call at 12:27 p.m. and the Florida Highway Patrol investigated the crash.”
In Florida, driving without a valid license is considered to be a second-degree misdemeanor with penalties of up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine, says law firm Hussein & Webber.
“Although the majority of cases will not result in a jail sentence, the principal consequence of a No Valid License conviction is that it will create a permanent criminal record,” it explained.
