BLACKFOOT, Idaho — A Blackfoot restaurant owner died after a man crashed into his house Tuesday night, causing the garage and a neighboring home to catch fire, police said.
William K. Hong, 92, was the owner of the popular Hong's Take-Out. He was taken to the hospital and was later pronounced dead. Police Capt. Scott Gay said he would not comment on the cause of death until the completion of an autopsy.
No one else was in the house.
The Blackfoot Police Department said a 30-year-old Blackfoot man has been arrested for vehicular manslaughter and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death. The man was arrested at his home. He was treated for injuries in the hospital and medically cleared to be jailed, The Post Register reported.
Brandie Clark, a former manager at the restaurant, said Hong was "very welcoming and loved feeding Blackfoot."
People are also reading…
Hong came to the U.S. from China in the 1950s. Clark said he was a U.S. veteran and has served during the Vietnam war. Although he could be terse, Clark said, she admired him.
"He had a very, very beautiful soul," Clark said. "He taught me honesty, loyalty and respect."
Blackfoot Fire Department Capt. Dave Krumenacker said the home is probably a total loss.
A neighboring house sustained significant damage to the roof, but the occupants were not injured, Krumenacker said.
The crash appears to have caused the initial fire, but Krumenacker said something seems to have accelerated the blaze. An investigation is ongoing.
