Car Jumps Curb in E. Village, Injures 8

By Karen Matthews

A car rocketing down an avenue in the East Village on Wednesday, June 19 swerved out of control, plowed down a sidewalk and smashed through a storefront flower stand, injuring eight people, witnesses and officials said.

A 60-year-old grocery store worker was critically hurt in the 6:30 a.m. crash, which left half a city block in shambles.

Police arrested the driver, Shaun Martin, who they said was driving under the influence of either alcohol or drugs.

Investigators were still trying to determine how fast the car was moving, but one witness who saw the wreck unfold said he saw two vehicles racing down Second Avenue at a frightening speed.

"They were swerving around cars. When the white car swerved right, it lost control," said Dr. Alvaro Alban.

The vehicle, a rented Nissan Altima, smashed through everything on the sidewalk, including a 25-foot-tall tree, a telephone booth, parked bicycles, a parking kiosk and a street sign.

"Everything that was in the way, he took it out," said bystander Rafael Fuentes.

The car crashed through the market's flower stand, overturning an outdoor refrigerator case. Several people were hospitalized, including three workers at the grocery store. One person on a CitiBike was hit by a flying fire hydrant, police said.

Police said Martin, 32, of Queens, has faced charges before for drug possession and drunken driving. Detail on the outcome of those cases wasn't immediately available. He was in custody and unavailable to comment Wednesday afternoon.

A police spokesman said investigators were looking into reports that a second car had also been speeding down the street. The other car never stopped, Alban said.