Suspected drunk driver causes crash into family-owned art gallery in Long Beach

LONG BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- A family-owned art gallery in Long Beach was left badly damaged after a suspected drunk driver slammed into its building.

The incident happened early Saturday morning at Open Gallery near 7th Street and Rose Avenue, according to the Long Beach Police Department. Authorities say a sedan hit an SUV from behind, the impact of which sent both vehicles colliding into the building.

The owners and their 13-year-old son live in a loft connected to the gallery, and the cars ended up in their bedroom.

"I just heard a crash, and then I heard a bigger crash, and then I realized that it was inside of our space, and one of the walls came right into my bed, and I just imagined the worst because my son's bed is right behind that wall," said the gallery's owner Liz Garibaldi.

No one inside the building was hurt, and the people inside the SUV were treated for minor injuries.

"It's unreal. Obviously, my first thoughts were, 'Are they ok?'" said the gallery's curator Steve Martinez.

The sedan driver who caused the crash, 32-year-old Luis Medinas Amador, was arrested on felony DUI charges. His bail was set at $100,000.

Community members who gathered at the gallery Saturday said they're heartbroken, saying the beloved gallery highlights local artists.

"It's unfortunate that all the hard work they've put into this place, literally blood sweat and tears into this place, they built it with their own hands, and it just got taken away from a couple people that were just being super irresponsible," said Garibaldi.

Friends of the family have since started GoFundMe, raising more than $25,000.

"It just feels, like, really nice to know that people have your back," said Garibaldi.