‘Our entire community is grieving’: Outpouring of support after toddler dies in crash at Oswego Portillo’s

Montgomery resident Kelsey Gil said she can’t imagine the pain the family of a 2-year-old boy is facing after he was killed Wednesday when a car crashed into a Portillo’s restaurant in Oswego.

“You go out to eat with your baby, and then this happens,” Gil said. “It breaks my heart.”

Gil, a longtime customer of the restaurant, and her 3-year-old daughter on Thursday brought flowers to a memorial set up in front of Portillo’s.

All of the 14 victims, including the toddler, were in the restaurant at the time of the crash. Eight people, including the 50-year-old driver of the vehicle, were taken to area hospitals, according to the Oswego Police Department.

Six other people were treated at the scene and released. The restaurant, located at 2810 Route 34 in Oswego, remains closed.

“We are deeply saddened by the tragic accident involving a car that struck our Oswego restaurant yesterday, and our thoughts are with those affected by this incident,” Portillo’s said in a statement Thursday. “As we continue to assess this unfolding situation, our primary concern is the safety and well-being of our guests and team members.

“We are grateful to the emergency responders who arrived quickly on-site, and we are working closely with local authorities to aid their investigation. At this time, the Oswego Portillo’s restaurant will remain closed. We will defer all additional questions to local law enforcement.”

Oswego Village President Ryan Kauffman also expressed his condolences.

“As village president, I carry a deep responsibility for the safety of everyone in our community,“ he said in a released statement. ”But as a father, this tragedy hits especially hard. I am absolutely heartbroken over the vehicle crash yesterday at Portillo’s that injured many and tragically took one life. The loss of a 2-year-old child is unimaginable, and our entire community is grieving alongside the family.

“There are simply no words that can ease the pain of such a loss. On behalf of the entire village of Oswego, I want to extend our deepest condolences to the family, and to all those injured or affected by this horrific event,” Kauffman said.

He thanked the Oswego Police Department, Oswego Fire Protection District, Oswego Public Works Department, Portillo’s employees “and the bystanders who stepped in to help amid the chaos. Your quick action and courage are deeply appreciated.”

Kauffman said the village has begun reviewing its ordinances and safety protocols to identify what more can be done to help prevent such tragedies in the future.

“Oswego has required bollards for all commercial outdoor dining areas for decades, but we know that we must continue to evaluate and strengthen protections in public spaces,” he said. “We are also looking into how other communities have responded to similar incidents, and we are actively exploring additional safety measures. Nothing is off the table when it comes to protecting lives.”

During the Oswego Village Board meeting at 7 p.m. Monday, there will be a moment of silence to honor the toddler who was killed in the crash.

Oswego police continue to investigate the crash but did not have any additional information Thursday. Police are considering the crash an accident at this point.

“Our investigation is in its early stages, but preliminary information suggests that this was a tragic accident,” Oswego Police Chief Jason Bastin said during a news conference Wednesday afternoon. “However, we are thoroughly reviewing all available evidence, including witness statements and surveillance video, to determine exactly what occurred.”

About 1:55 p.m. Wednesday officers responded to the scene after a report of a car crashing through the front entrance of the Portillo’s, police said.

The car was driven by a 50-year-old woman who was the only occupant in the vehicle, police said. It is not known if the driver was having a medical emergency at the time of the crash, Bastin said.

“My understanding is that the driver was speaking after the crash,” Bastin said. “As far as it being a medical emergency, we don’t have that information yet from the hospital.”

He said it was too early to determine whether the crash occurred because the driver had mistaken the gas pedal for the brake pedal.

“It’s too early in our investigation for me to speak about that,” Bastin said. “However, that of course is something that the driver will be spoken to about.”

Bastin expressed his condolences.

“We understand how difficult and emotional this incident is for everyone involved, including the families impacted by this tragedy, as well as our community, our officers and the fire department personnel who responded,” he said.

Support services are being made available to those who need it, Bastin said.

“We are coordinating closely with victim-assistance resources,” he said.