Six adults and two children were injured in the crash at 50th Street and Second Avenue around 8:40 a.m.
Authorities say the 66-year-old driver of a white van was heading southbound on Second Avenue when it collided with the rear of a Toyota Camry.
The Camry then crashed into the outdoor dining area in front of 945 Second Avenue, which was unoccupied at the time.
However, flying debris injured two boys, ages 5 and 7.
Raw Video: Outdoor dining crash in NYC
The white van then traveled another block, jumped the curb, destroyed a fruit stand, and came to a rest in scaffolding.
Several people in the Camry were hurt, as well as some pedestrians.
Also injured were a 27-year-old man, 40-year-old woman, 47-year-old woman, 50-year-old man, 53-year-old man, and a 74-year-old man.
Four of the injured people were taken to Bellevue Hospital. None of the injuries is believed to be life-threatening.
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The driver of a van was taken into custody by police but suffered a medical episode while at the 17th Precinct stationhouse, authorities said.
They transported him to the hospital, and detectives are now looking into the possibility that he had a medical episode while driving.
Firefighters secured the scaffolding and debris, and the Department of Buildings determined all damaged structures and buildings were structurally sound.
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