Several Injured In Accident When Car Jumps Curb Outside Manhattan Courthouse
Six people were injured at around 11:00 A.M. Friday when a 1999 Nissan automobile jumped the curb outside the State Supreme Court building at 60 Centre Street, in Manhattan.
The car drove onto the sidewalk, crashed into a coffee cart operated by Jaweed Naseri, 26, of Douglaston, Queens. Naseri was able to jump free of the coffee cart and was not hurt.
The driver, Lorenzo Bello, 33, of Ridgewood, Queens, was taken to Bellevue Hospital. He appeared dazed and may have suffered a seizure while driving. He was arrested and charged with reckless endangerment and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, a misdemeanor, for driving with a suspended license.
Pedestrian Max Verline was walking toward the cart when he was struck by the car on the steps of the courthouse, suffering a broken or fractured leg. Another passer-by, Theresa Rodriguez, suffered minor injury and scrapes to her leg.
Commentary: In light of Bello’s reported seizure, he may bear no legal liability to the inured people, even though he was arrested for driving with a suspended driver’s license.
