BROOKLYN, NY- newyorkcbslocal.com reports that an elderly woman and her husband were struck by a Jeep while standing outside of a car wash. The woman, 86-year-old Joan Tornabene, was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident in Brooklyn. The victim’s 90-year-old husband was also hit by the vehicle and was transported to NYU Langone Hospital-Brooklyn […]
BROOKLYN, NY- newyorkcbslocal.com reports that an elderly woman and her husband were struck by a Jeep while standing outside of a car wash. The woman, 86-year-old Joan Tornabene, was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident in Brooklyn. The victim’s 90-year-old husband was also hit by the vehicle and was transported to NYU Langone Hospital-Brooklyn with injuries that are reportedly life-threatening.
The collision occurred at about 3:15 p.m. on Tuesday, May 1, 2018. Video recordings viewed from a nearby surveillance camera show the couple outside of the gas station where they had just had their vehicle washed.
While the couple was looking at their Honda, a Jeep came through the car wash in neutral and the elderly couple’s car. The car wash attendant operating the Jeep then pulled into reverse and hit the building before pulling forward and striking the victims. For unknown reasons, the driver then pulled the car back a second time, and forward again, and then backed up a third time, and drove forward again striking the couple’s Honda, and shoved other cars onto the sidewalk.
According to witnesses at the scene, the 61-year-old operating the Jeep was pulled from the vehicle by other car wash attendants. He reportedly looked dazed.
The police say the incident is suspected to have been an accident.
Parking lots can be dangerous places for pedestrians. Across the United States, AAA reports that 20% of all vehicle accidents occur in parking lots. There are several contributing factors such as lighting issues, blind spots and the fact that parking lots are “no-man’s land” where the traffic rules are often unclear. It is important for pedestrians to use caution in parking lots, but instead, many people seem to let their guard down when walking through these spaces.
