Driver crashes through patio at Saskatoon eatery, faces impairment test refusal charge

At approximately 8:30 p.m. CST on August 2, a car collided with another vehicle and then plowed through the patio of The Flats Eatery and Drink on McOrmond Drive in Saskatoon, sending glass and debris into the air. A small group of diners on the far side of the patio were not injured, and the driver, a 44-year-old man, suffered injuries that required hospital treatment but were not life-threatening. Police noted evidence of possible intoxication, such as an empty bottle of alcohol found in the vehicle, and later filed a charge for refusing to comply with a demand for an impairment test while at the hospital.

Bartender Damian Grujic described the near-collapse of the building’s corner and thanked staff for their swift actions, while manager Sam Arora reported extensive damage to windows, furniture and a heat lamp, leading to the patio’s temporary closure for repairs. This incident follows a similar crash in Saskatoon less than a week earlier and adds to a provincial record of over a hundred serious impairment-related collisions in 2025. The driver’s legal case is now pending.