Car Crashes Into Storefront Across From J.J. Byrne Playground; Second 5th Avenue Curb Jump Incident On Same Night
Just hours after a livery cab smashed into a glass window at D II Deals & Discounts on 5th Avenue and 9th Street, a similar incident would take place a mere six blocks away.
On Monday, December 12 at approximately 9:15pm, two people were injured in a three-car crash near the intersection of 5th Avenue and 3rd Street, resulting in one vehicle smashing into a shuttered storefront at 325 5th Avenue, just across the street from J.J. Byrne Playground. The car landed feet away from the entrance to Good Wine (327 5th Avenue), which was open at the time of the incident.
A police spokesperson said that two moving cars and one parked car were involved in the crash. The driver of a car traveling north on 5th Avenue claims he had a green light, but struck a second vehicle in the intersection. Cops say the first car swerved, hit a parked car, and then crashed into the storefront after jumping the curb.
The two drivers refused medical attention on the scene.
Good Wine owner Heather Johnston was not at the store during the incident, but her husband Gordon Eriksen was on hand to take photos. Eriksen wrote via email that a “car service and another car attempted to avoid a collision and both ran at high speed into the buildings.”
“There’s damage to both doors at the two buildings between us [Good Wine] and The Gate [321 5th Avenue at 3rd Street],” said Johnston. “They had to evacuate two buildings next to us to make sure that they were sound. The neighbors were able to go back in, so it seems all was ok.”
Johnson says the damage to the doors is still evident the day after. “There’s going to have to be some work done,” she said.
At approximately 5:24pm the same evening, a livery cab careened into a discount store, smashing a plate glass window before coming to a stop during the height of rush hour at 5th Avenue and 9th Street, one of Park Slope’s busiest intersections. Four people were injured during the incident.