A vehicle crashed into a New York taxicab, triggering a chain reaction of accidents on the Upper West Side that left four people with serious injuries. The car accident occurred on Monday, May 5, during rush hour traffic at the intersection of 62nd Street and Broadway in New York City, NY. The taxi went onto the curb and rammed into a Halal food cart, causing the cart to collide into a Con Edison van that was parked nearby. It was a very confusing scene as numerous drivers swerved to avoid other collisions.
Immediately prior to the auto accident, the taxi driver picked up several passengers. He later told police that another vehicle, a Honda, “just appeared,” causing him to crash into the food cart. He also said that after the Honda struck his cab, he applied the brakes on his taxi, only to be struck by the motorist a second time. This second impact, said the taxi driver, caused him to lose control of the vehicle.
The New York Police Department (NYPD) said that four people were rushed to a nearby hospital after sustaining injuries in the series of car accident. The victims included a 39-year-old woman who almost had her arm severed when the food cart descended on her. She was later listed in critical condition.
Meanwhile, the food cart operator, 23-year-old Ilhajjam Hamid, also suffered injuries. His friend, Mohamed Hathout, also a food car operator, said that he dragged Hamid out from under the food cart following the accident. Hathout returned to work the next day at his hot dog stand, but he said that the events of the previous day were traumatizing.
Police have revealed a surveillance photograph of a 1999 black Honda Accord that is thought to be responsible for the hit-and-run accident. The car reportedly had Pennsylvania plates KCN-0713.
According to NYC records, there have been almost three dozen accidents at the intersection of 62nd Street and Broadway since 2012. Residents in the area describe the intersection as very dangerous.
For more information about this accident, read the PIX11.com article, “Surveillance Photo Shows Car Suspected of Causing Chain-Reaction Crash on Upper West Side.”
If you were injured in a motor vehicle accident due to the negligence of another person, contact the personal injury attorneys at Proner and Proner. We can help you recover damages for your accident-related injuries.
