6 injured in wrong-way crash in Brooklyn; driver charged with DWI
NEW YORK -- Six people were injured after police say a reckless driver went the wrong way on a Brooklyn street Saturday night.
It was a harrowing scene on East 94th Street as neighbors tried their best to stop a wrong-way driver, who damaged several parked cars in his path.
"I thought it was actually gunshots, but it actually wasn't gunshots, it was the vehicle just hitting vehicles, and that's what woke me up," witness Dale Bailey said.
Neighbors punched the van's windows and even threw objects at the vehicle around 10:30 Saturday night. Still, it kept going, eventually hitting a porch and continuing northbound on the southbound one-way street.
"People drink and drive, which they shouldn't. People smoke and drive, which they shouldn't," a neighbor named Stanley said.
Police arrested the driver, 47-year-old Ryan Austin, at the scene. He's facing charges including a DWI, reckless driving, driving with a suspended license and refusal to take a breathalyzer test.
Stanley, who has lived there for decades, was left in shock.
"Since 1987, I've never seen that before," he said.
Broken glass was still scattered around Sunday evening, and some of the damaged cars were still parked on the street. Neighbors are just happy it didn't end up worse.
"You can replace a car, but you can't replace a life," Bailey said.
Police say those six people who were hurt sustained minor injuries.
No one CBS2 spoke to in the neighborhood was familiar with the driver.