Two car crashes sent three people to the hospital over the past 24 hours on the Upper West Side.
On Sunday around 8 p.m. a 73-year-old woman was crossing West End Avenue at 90th street against the light when she was hit by a sedan being driven Northbound by an 87-year-old man. The woman, who lives on the Upper West Side, was taken to St. Luke’s hospital and listed in critical condition. The man stopped at the scene and was not charged, said Sgt. Semioli of the 24th precinct. Thanks to several tipsters who let us know about this.
On Monday morning at around 5:30 a.m., a car crash nearly sent a vehicle through the window of the Starbucks at Columbus and 67th street, several news outlets reported. DNAinfo says two people were injured, one of them seriously.
“A car and an SUV crashed in the intersection of Columbus Avenue and West 67th Street about 5:30 a.m., sending one of the vehicles up over the curb and onto the sidwewalk at the southwest corner of the intersection, according to witnesses and FDNY officials. It screeched to a halt just before smashing through the storefront window of a Starbucks, witnesses said.”
Fox NY posted the photo below:
Car slams into Starbucks on Columbus Ave. and 67th St. Manhattan https://t.co/rQzwJx6Vku #SkyFoxHD #GDNY pic.twitter.com/67DAsMIerd
— MyFoxNY.com (@MyFoxNY) September 8, 2014
I’m hoping against hope for the woman struck at WEA and 90th. This is just awful. Safe streets and safer driving can’t come soon enough to West End Ave.
I’m still in awe how drivers of automobiles rarely get charged when striking a pedestrian / cyclist. At least charge the damn driver with negligence.
DMH, safer driving & streets won’t come until drivers are held accountable for their lackluster ability to operate a motor vehicle.
WKM, I couldn’t agree more. DNAinfo had a map of fatalities and serious injuries on the avenue and it was crazy. One at almost every block, on a residential street.
In this WEA/90th crash, I don’t feel like I have the details to conclude what happened. I just pray the woman survives, and NYPD investigates well. I’ll bet security video of both crashes can be found.
Also, broadly, I hope that drivers above a certain age (70? 75?) get annual vision and reaction tests. I can remember driving with my grandparents when they reached their late 80s… a little scary.
Please remember it is not always the driver’s fault. I have become more aware of being a thoughtful pedestrian because I am also a driver. Yes, some people drive recklessly and too fast, but A LOT of pedestrians take no consideration of the cars around them. I have had countless times driving down WE in the dark where someone is jaywalking (in all black, of course) and you can barely see them. You don’t expect a person right in front of you when you have a green light. Just yesterday in the neighborhood, I started moving when my light turned green light when a cyclist came from the opposite direction of the traffic flow and blew right in front of me through his red light! I had to slam on my brakes, just barely missing him and he didn’t even flinch. I think we could ALL be more situationally aware.
Yesterday at about 5:30 a car going about 40 MPH made a sharp left turn from east bound 79 St. heading north on WEA — missed hitting me by inches as I was crossing with the light. I had absolutely no way of knowing that this car was heading for me. Only luck that I wasn’t hit. The doorman on the corner came rushing out of the building screaming at the driver who of course, had sped only to the red light on 80 St. The medians can’t be installed soon enough.
People should NOT cross against the light, period!
Any update?