Man tries to steal car, crashes into UP restaurant after struggle with owner
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Stolen car drove through India Mahal; owner briefly hospitalized for hand lacerations.
- Patrons and neighbors subdued suspect until police arrived and arrested him.
- Family reopened restaurant and will front costs for window and vehicle repairs.
It all happened so quickly, Amanjit Randhawa said.
Late Saturday night, as Randhawa smoked a cigarette and waited for his car to warm up, a man jumped inside the vehicle. After a struggle, the would-be thief drove the Honda CR-V through the India Mahal restaurant in University Place, sending shattered glass over the concrete.
Randhawa, who owns the Indian restaurant at 1905 Bridgeport Way W., #110 with his father, told The News Tribune on Tuesday they have since reopened and any support to offset the costs is much welcomed. A GoFundMe set up Wednesday hopes to raise $2,000 for the family as “the aftermath of this incident has been overwhelming,” Randhawa said.
A public records request for the police report is pending. Over the phone, Randhawa told The News Tribune a man ran over to his running car around 10 p.m. Saturday and hopped in the driver’s seat. Randhawa said he tried to wrestle the man out of the car when the man pressed the accelerator and drove through the front door of India Mahal.
As the man reversed the car and tried to escape, Randhawa said, he was able to pull him from the car with the help of patrons and neighbors. They were able to hold the man down until police came, and he was arrested, Randhawa said.
Randhawa said his family will have to front the cost of replacing the front window and fixing his vehicle. He also was shortly hospitalized for lacerations on his hands.
This story was originally published February 11, 2026 at 5:30 AM.
