Wounded Man Stumbles Into Orange Eatery

A Tustin man with a gunshot wound to his chest stumbled into a fast-food restaurant Friday morning in Orange and collapsed, police said.

Robert Wayne Erfurt, 40, was taken to Western Medical Center in Santa Ana, where he underwent surgery and was in serious but stable condition late Friday, said Lt. Art Romo of the Orange Police Dept.

“His injuries are survivable,” Romo said. “It looks like he’ll make it.”

The incident was under investigation, Romo said. “We have no idea what happened.”

Investigators said Erfurt and another man apparently were traveling east on Katella Avenue shortly after 11 a.m. when the car suddenly veered off the road and struck a commercial building. Erfurt, who police believe was the driver, and his passenger exited the car, a gray 1986 Oldsmobile. Erfurt staggered down the street and into a nearby Carl’s Jr. restaurant, police said, while the other man ran from the scene.

Police found a gun next to the car but had not determined late Friday whether it had been fired recently.

“We have to do tests on the gun,” Romo said.

“There is a crack in the windshield, but we think it came from the driver’s head,” Romo said.

He asked that anybody who witnessed the incident or has information about it call investigators at (714) 744-7403.