A portion of the exterior wall at 319 Broderick in West Sacramento was temporarily secured following a late-night vehicle crash. The restaurant reopened seven days later after a coordinated response by the City of West Sacramento, PG&E, and Kustom Disaster Restoration. Photo courtesy of Gordon J. Duff

WEST SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - A vehicle crash late on the night of Dec. 26 caused significant structural damage to 319 Broderick, a West Sacramento restaurant, but a coordinated response by the City of West Sacramento, its Building Division, PG&E, the property owner, and the owner’s contractor allowed the business to reopen just seven days later.

According to Gordon J. Duff, general manager of 319 Broderick, the crash occurred on a Friday night between approximately 11:30 p.m. and midnight, after the restaurant had closed for the evening. A vehicle involved in an attempted traffic stop by the California Highway Patrol left the roadway and struck the front wall of the building, causing damage to a significant portion of that wall as well as an adjacent side wall and knocking out gas service. No one was inside the restaurant at the time.

Duff said the vehicle continued through a neighboring property, causing additional damage, before coming to rest. The driver fled the scene and was not apprehended that night.

Guillermo Delgadillo, the Building Inspector on call the night of the incident, responded immediately and was on site while it was still dark, Duff said.

According to Duff, city officials including Mayor Martha Guerrero and additional Building Division personnel were on site later that Saturday, along with the property owner and representatives of Kustom Disaster Restoration to assess the damage and begin determining the safest and fastest path forward.

On the following Monday, Duff said Building Division officials, Kustom, and the property owner met on site to establish a coordinated plan of action. During that meeting, Duff said he emphasized that returning employees to work as quickly and safely as possible was a top priority.

He said the response that followed demonstrated that the city, the property owner, the contractor, and utility partners were aligned around that same goal.

Duff specifically credited Brandon Lamons, senior building inspector, who first became involved by phone on Saturday and was on site that same Monday to coordinate the city’s response and outline next steps.

"It was more than just a meeting to talk through what everyone would need to do to get the restaurant reopened,” Duff said. “He was clearly moving things forward during that meeting, including communicating with staff on site and remotely to jump-start the process outside of regular business hours."

Duff also praised Permit Services Manager Olivia Nelson, saying her behind-the-scenes efforts, in coordination with other Building Division staff and Sharra Carr of Kustom, allowed emergency demolition, temporary shoring, and plumbing permits to be issued by Tuesday so repairs could begin without delay.

“The coordination between the city and Kustom was exceptional,” Duff said.

Duff said Nathan Provencal of Kustom and his team worked closely with Building Division staff to advance repairs efficiently and safely.

Provencal echoed that sentiment.

“From the very beginning, the City of West Sacramento’s Building Division worked collaboratively with us to find safe, practical solutions that kept the project moving,” Provencal said. “The level of responsiveness and coordination we experienced, especially during a holiday period, was remarkable.”

Duff also highlighted the role played by PG&E. He said PG&E crews responded immediately following the crash to secure the damaged gas line, and Mike Velasquez of PG&E assisted throughout the process by coordinating inspections and the installation of a new gas meter once repairs were completed.

As a result of the collective effort, Duff said inspections were completed by Friday afternoon and the restaurant reopened the very next day; just seven days after the incident.

Duff added that responses of this nature often involve additional city staff and partners whose contributions may not be visible but are nonetheless essential.

“To everyone who played a role in this effort, we are extremely grateful,” Duff said.

Duff said the experience demonstrated the City of West Sacramento’s commitment to supporting local businesses and responding quickly in challenging circumstances.

“Because of the city’s actions and the coordination with the property owner, Kustom, and PG&E, our employees were able to return to work far sooner than anyone would have expected,” Duff said. “That matters a great deal to us.”

319 Broderick, at 319 6th St. in West Sacramento, has reopened to the public and is operating normally while final repairs are completed on a corner of the building. 319 Broderick is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.