Drunk driving in Washington Square Park
According to a news article posted on AMNY.com, an alleged drunk driver drove into Washington Square Park, and struck a parked police car causing personal injuries to the officer. The alleged drunk driver also knocked over two concrete bollards under the arch off Fifth Avenue.
The auto accident happened at approximately 1:20 a.m. on November 29, 2020. The news report states that a 25-year-old driver drove his blue Nissan Maxima into Washington Square Park. The man was heading south along Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. The man collided with two concrete posts that were installed to prevent vehicles from entering Washington Square Park.
The collision sent pieces of concrete flying through the air as far away as 50 feet from the arch. The driver then crashed into a concrete seating area. As the alleged drunk driver continued through the park, he drove his car into a 6th Precinct Smart Car. A police officer was inside the 6th Precinct SmartCare, and the police officer sustained accident-related personal injuries. The alleged drunk driver then nearly struck a group of pedestrians before finally coming to a stop.
According to the news report, the police officer sustained back and neck injuries, and the officer was transported to Bellevue Hospital, where the officer is listed in stable condition. At the time of the accident, several people in the park came to aid the officer, and the group also help to detail the driver. According to law enforcement statements, the driver did not sustain injuries in the accident. The driver’s airbags deployed upon impact, likely saving the driver from receiving severe personal injuries.
New York Highway police began investigating the Accident early morning, the day after the accident.
Law enforcement identified the driver as a 25-year-old man from Bayside Hills in Queens, New York. The driver was arrested and charged with several crimes, including criminal mischief, reckless endangerment, possession of marijuana, driving while intoxicated, and refusal to take a breathalyzer test.
According to the news report, residents were in shock after seeing the accident. One West Village resident was shocked to see how the driver’s Nissan car was able to crash through the concrete bollards and still continue to drive into the park. The resident stated that a similar accident had caused the deaths of several pedestrians several years ago, and the concrete barriers were installed to prevent vehicles from driving into the park and injuring pedestrians. That accident occurred on April 24, 1992, and the incident caused the deaths of four pedestrians.
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