San Francisco – A two‑vehicle crash this morning struck the front of Jolene’s, the well‑known lesbian bar at the intersection of 16th and Harrison streets. Workers at nearby businesses heard a loud impact just before 8 a.m., but because their doors face away from the intersection they only saw the aftermath.

Witness accounts

A studio renter above the bar described the scene: an SUV backed into Jolene’s front door, deploying its airbags, while a pickup truck with a smashed hood sat on the opposite side of the street. Police and firefighters arrived quickly, according to another eyewitness.

The studio renter said the SUV driver, a woman, was taken away on a stretcher by ambulance. The man inside the pickup appeared unharmed. By 9 a.m. both vehicles had been removed.

Damage to the bar

With the SUV pulled free, the extent of the damage became clear. The left‑hand entryway’s lower portion was crushed, exposing a wooden beam, and debris littered the entrance and street. The front iron gate was bent inward, which likely prevented the vehicle from reaching the main doors.

Jolene Linsangan, the bar’s owner, arrived around 12:30 p.m. after learning of the crash from a neighbor. She estimated that repairs will cost roughly $10,000. “I have to pay for this and the costs are so crazy,” Linsangan said. “I’m barely surviving over here.” She hopes to reopen the bar on Thursday and resume normal business.

Police response

The San Francisco Police Department has not yet released an official report on the incident. The story remains developing, and updates will be added as more information becomes available.

Jolene’s has long served as a gathering place for the LGBTQ+ community in the Mission District, and its owners and patrons are hopeful that the bar will quickly recover from this unexpected setback.

Original reporting: Mission Local — read the source article.