Miami's mayor and city manager will have to testify about why a sidewalk cafe cited for operating illegally was allowed to stay open until a driver plowed into the dining area.

A state appellate court ruled Wednesday that Mayor Tomas Regalado and City Manager Daniel Alfonso can be deposed by attorneys for the Lemoni Cafe diners injured in the October 2014 incident. Plaintiffs counsel has questioned at least seven other city officials, who all denied knowing why the sidewalk cafe at 4600 NE 2nd Ave. was permitted to keep running and a scheduled hearing on the cafe's two code violations was never held.

“Among these deposed officials are the code enforcement director, a code enforcement supervisor and a representative from the mayor's office,” Third District Court of Appeal Judge Thomas Logue wrote. “But each official testified that they did not know. The city has failed to identify a specific individual who could provide the information that plaintiffs seek.”