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2 Injured After Vehicle Crashes Into Outdoor Dining Shed In The Bronx

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Two people were taken to the hospital Wednesday after being hit by an SUV that also slammed into an outdoor dining area in the Bronx.

It happened around 3:15 p.m. at the corner of East 139th Street and Brook Avenue in the Mott Haven section.

Police say the driver of an SUV with a Texas license plate was traveling southbound on Brook Avenue when it sideswiped another vehicle, then jumped the curb and hit two pedestrians on the sidewalk near the dining shed.

"The crash sounded like a big bomb. I thought it was, like, exploded something, and I was right here, and when I looked back, I got scared. I don't know. I just see, like, a lot of people screaming," said Kahtan Seidi, who owns the deli across the street.

Police say a 40-year-old man was taken to a local hospital in stable condition, and a 17-year-old girl was taken to a local hospital in critical condition.

Seidi told CBS2's Kiran Dhillon he rushed out to help when he heard the crash.

"I tried to help the lady, but she was passed out. And the guy started moving," he said. "It's messed up. It's messed up."

People who work in the area say they're hoping the driver, who police say ran off after the crash and who remains on the loose, is caught soon.

Meanwhile, they're praying the victims make a full recovery.

"I feel sad because it can happen to me because I cross this corner every day," one man said.

Exactly what led to the crash remains unknown. Police have not released a description of the suspect.

CBS2's Kiran Dhillon contributed to this report.

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