When a man tried to rob a Dunkin’ Donuts in Connecticut on Saturday night, an employee acted quickly and stopped him with the closest weapon available -- hot coffee.

The attempted robbery happened shortly after 11 p.m. at a Dunkin' Donuts in West Haven, when a man pulled up to the drive-through and asked the clerk for change for a $100 bill, according to Sgt. David Tammaro, of the West Haven Police Department.

When the clerk refused to make the change, the man said this was a robbery and tried to climb through the drive-through window, police said.

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That is when the clerk threw hot coffee in man’s face, police said.

The man fled the area in a newer model white Ford Explorer without stealing anything, according to a news release from police.

This image taken from video shows an SUV after it plowed into a Dunkin' Donuts store in Jersey City on Monday.

Officials say eight people were injured, three critically, when an SUV crashed into a Dunkin' Donuts store in Jersey City Monday evening.

Authorities say the driver of the white SUV, a 14-year-old girl and a pregnant woman were among those injured in the accident. It wasn't clear what caused the SUV to careen into the shop at 318 Central Ave. at about 8:30 p.m. 

Six people were taken to the hospital and two were treated at the scene. Some of the injuries were serious. It wasn't immediately clear who was driving.

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Fire Director Armando Roman says the teenage girl was in the shop with her mother and sister when the accident occurred. She suffered head trauma and two broken legs.      

Rabson says the girl has undergone surgery. Four others are in stable condition after being treated for trauma.      

A police spokesman says the SUV driver was injured but that the severity of the injuries isn't known. The pregnant's woman condition is also unknown.

Bystanders described a chaotic scene, with people being carried by on stretchers and gawkers crowding the avenue near the store.

Jason Wilkins, of Jersey City, said he'd never witnessed such a scene.

"My prayers go out to anyone that got hurt," Wilkins said. "It was a pretty gruesome scene."

The incident is under investigation. The store is expected to reopen once a Department of Health inspection is complete, an employee said.

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