NYPD SUV Jumps Brooklyn Curb, Slams Into Store, 5 Hurt
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Police continue to investigate what led to the crash between an NYPD cruiser responding to a call and a minivan on Saturday night.
Five people, including two officers, suffered minor injuries. CBS2's Lisa Rozner has learned they were released from the hospital.
Surveillance video shows the scary crash right in front of Landau's health store in Borough Park, Brooklyn, just before 10 p.m. Police said the cop car was responding to a call and traveling down 13th Avenue when it was struck by another vehicle at the intersection coming down 52nd Street.
In addition to the officers, two 18-year-old girls on the sidewalk were injured, as well as the 49-year-old man driving the minivan. Witnesses described a mass of people trying to help the injured.
"Two girls are under the car and all I see is a cop rolling down outside, open the door and he's on the floor also. He was knocked out," a witness named "Sam" said.
"I saw a bunch of people running over to help, so I came to help and we were all just trying to push the car back," another witness said.
Residents told Rozner the sidewalks are usually packed with people on Saturday nights, so it's lucky more weren't injured. One man who works at Landau's characterized the severity of the injuries the victims did suffer as a miracle.
The patrol car did have its flashing lights on, but it's still unclear whether any kind of siren was being used.
"That's not the reason why you should be driving that fast, and not looking," Sam said. "You have to be observant."
"However, in emergency situations, no one can tell someone what to do over a split second. It's very difficult," Brooklyn resident Paul Golden said.
The NYPD also said it's trying to piece together what happened, including whether the patrol car went through a red light.