UPDATE 10:30 PM:
Exclusive video obtained by Fox 4 from a nearby shop shows the van driving over the curb and crashing into the picnic tables where families were eating.
"Everybody was scared, there families, kids little girls sitting over there," said Jose Cruz, a manager at the taco truck.
According to police, Velasquez was intoxicated when he pulled out from the parking lot across the street.
We spoke with Velasquez's family who tell us they are still unsure of what happened.
The managers of the taco truck where the crash occurred told us this was the second intoxicated driver they encountered Monday night, after an earlier driver left tire marks attempting to turn into the parking lot.
"We're scared of this happening again, we don't need another interaction like this you know we got a lot of families of here with kids and it's a lot of people driving," Cruz said.
Employees at the taco truck said they hope to install barricades to protect themselves and their customers as they continue to worry about safety in the area.
UPDATE 6:30 AM:
Fort Myers Police reports the driver, Luis Alejandro Velasquez Herrera, was intoxicated at the time of the crash and arrested. He is facing charges of one count for influence of alcohol or drugs, and nine counts of DUI damage to property or another person.
None of the injuries were life-threatening, according to FMPD. This incident remains under investigation.
ORIGINAL REPORTING 5AM:
Nine people are hospitalized after a driver crashed into a taco stand area where families were eating, according to an officer with the Fort Myers Police Department.
The crash was reported around 11:20 p.m. at 4195 Palm Beach Boulevard.
The severity of their injuries is unclear at this time, but we do know the victims include two families and the driver, according to an officer with FMPD who responded to the crash. Those victims include a 16-year-old, a 15-year-old, a 9-year-old, and a 3-year-old.
The tent and tables surrounding the eating area are damaged, this morning.
The responding officer did not have information on non-hospitalized injuries, pending charges, or how this happened, yet. We have reached out to the department for more clarification.
Fox 4 has a crew headed to the scene to learn more, and we will update this article.
