Car careens out of control, slams into Manhattan restaurant

Thursday, November 26, 2020
Car careens out of control, slams into NYC restaurant
CeFaan Kim has the latest details of the moment a car crashed into a restaurant in Manhattan Wednesday and injured one person.

GREENWICH VILLAGE, Manhattan -- A car crashed into a restaurant in Manhattan Wednesday.

The incident happened at Cuba Restaurant and Rum Bar on Thompson Street in Greenwich Village.

Police say a Black Mercedes-Benz exited a parking garage across the street from the restaurant.

The vehicle then tried to turn right onto Thompson Street when the driver, a 61-year-old male, lost control of the vehicle and struck the outdoor dining area and the restaurant itself.

"It was almost like a bomb," one eyewitness said.

Viviana Borda is the manager of the restaurant.

She was inside when it happened around 4:30 p.m. and ran to the back for cover.

"We started going in almost the bathroom because we thought the car was coming inside the restaurant," Borda said.

The impact from the collision sent chairs and tables flying and shattered windows.

"We just were screaming, yelling," she said. "Everyone was yelling."

Authorities were able to pull the vehicle out of the restaurant.

No injuries to pedestrians were reported, but police say the driver suffered minor injuries and was taken to Bellevue Hospital.

The driver was also taken into custody, with charges pending.

Sources tell Eyewitness News that the driver appeared to be intoxicated at the time of the incident

The incident remains under investigation.

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