Several people were injured after an SUV drove through the front of a sushi restaurant in downtown Nanaimo on Monday night.
Emergency crews were called to the scene around 7:45 pm and arrived to find extensive damage as a black Kia Seltos had become lodged in the building.
The alleged driver was identified and detained by the RCMP after officers made observations that led them to suspect he was impaired by drugs.
The man in his 40s was later transported to hospital for medical treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
According to police, injuries to patrons of the restaurant were all reported as minor, but others were left shaken by the ordeal.
The vehicle was eventually removed from the building and towed to a secure facility for a forensic examination.
Police say the cause of the collision remains under investigation and no charges have been laid at this time.
