EUGENE, Ore. — A frightening incident occurred at Gotcha Burger on Wednesday afternoon, February 5, when a drive-thru customer crashed into the business’ trailer, injuring one employee. The crash, which happened just before 2 p.m. at the popular burger joint located at 1702 W 7th Ave, left the Huntley family, who owns the business, reeling from both the physical and financial aftermath.
According to Dimond Huntley, co-owner of Gotcha Burger, the news of the accident came as a shock to his family. “My little brother came in and said, ‘Oh my gosh, something happened at the cart; call mom,’” Huntley recalled. “I called mom, and she was like, ‘You gotta get down here. Someone crashed into our thing. One of our employees was injured.’ It was scary.”
The crash caused significant damage to the mobile food trailer, which was built by hand by the Huntley family patriarch. The trailer, which houses the kitchen for Gotcha Burger, had four employees working inside at the time of the crash.
Trevon Huntley, co-owner, described the severity of the collision. “It’s crazy, you know, we had a customer drive into our mobile food truck almost hitting the propane tanks, and lord knows what could’ve happened if it hit the propane tanks,” he said. The vehicle, which was second in line at the drive-thru, struck the trailer hard enough to shift the contents inside. A 500-pound grill was knocked over during the impact, spilling fry oil onto a 20-year-old employee, who suffered second- and third-degree burns on his arms.
“The grill is heavy. He hit it hard. It wasn’t lightly. Everything inside shifted,” Dimond Huntley explained. The employee, who was taken to the hospital, is expected to recover, but the accident has left the family-owned business facing weeks of repairs and a significant financial burden.
Despite the trauma, the Huntley family remains optimistic and determined to move forward. “That’s why we wake up and do this,” Trevon said, reflecting on the family’s tight-knit bond. “We’re going to get through this together.”
As they begin to rebuild, Gotcha Burger’s owners are looking for ways to keep serving their loyal customers. In the interim, they plan to use their mobile food truck to continue offering their popular burgers.
The Eugene Police Department conducted an investigation following the incident, determining that a 43-year-old man driving a Toyota Camry was waiting in line when the car’s accelerator became stuck, possibly due to a floor mat. “He turned to avoid the vehicle in front of him and instead crashed into the building,” the EPD report stated. “Intoxication did not appear to be a factor in the crash and it did not appear intentional.”
The police also clarified that Oregon law does not allow violations to be issued in private parking lots, and the next steps would likely involve insurance companies and civil attorneys.
As Gotcha Burger works to assess the full extent of the damage, including a bent axel on the trailer, the Huntley family is grateful that the situation was not worse. “We’re just glad that the outcome was the outcome,” Dimond said. “It could’ve been worse.”
Despite the setback, Gotcha Burger plans to rebuild and implement stronger safety measures to ensure the safety of their employees and customers in the future. The family is confident that, with the support of their community, they will bounce back stronger than ever.
