Eleven people were injured when a bus driver lost control of his MTA bus on a busy Brooklyn street leaving a path of destruction Tuesday afternoon, police said.
The injuries included three people in a Uber BMW vehicle that was crossing the intersection of Ralph Avenue and East New York Avenue in Brownsville, one pedestrian struck by a light pole, three more pedestrians struck by debris, and five people on the bus, including the driver. None of the injuries was life-threatening, police from the 67th Precinct said at the scene.
The crash occurred at 6:20 p.m. when the driver, who has not yet been identified, lost control of his B-12 bus traveling east on east on East new York Avenue, when it went up on the sidewalk near Ralph Avenue, mowing down three small trees, a street sign and then two parked cars. The crash was so powerful that it sent a van, careening into a building.
After obliterating everything in its path on the sidewalk, it continued into the intersection at Ralph Avenue, striking the Uber with two passengers on board, bringing the bus to a stop.
All of the victims were transported to Brookdale University Medical Center, all stable with non-life-threatening injuries, officials said. The driver’s condition was not immediately known.
Witnesses said the street is normally very busy, but because of the COVID-19 crisis, few people were walking there.
“The bus was traveling outside a high rate of speed swerving in and out of both lanes. There was a man lying under the street pole. He wasn’t moving, paramedics picked up him first and they hauled him out of here.” Denise Gomez
“I was sitting in the living room talking to my son, I heard a loud boom, I look outside the window, cars are on the sidewalk, people were running, the bus was rolling downhill.” Claire Lewis.
Police were investigating an allegation that the bus driver fell asleep at the wheel, however, a medical condition has not been ruled out. MTA officials say the driver was given a blood alcohol level and drug test by police, but no charges have been filed at this time. The driver was reportedly still at Brookdale Hospital with injuries from the crash.
