Driver Making U-Turn On Avenue B Hits Woman On The Sidewalk: Cops

ALPHABET CITY, NY — A driver hit a 46-year-old woman on a sidewalk after the driver tried to make a U-turn on Avenue B, an NYPD spokesperson said.

Cops' preliminary investigation found the driver was traveling southbound on Avenue B when he attempted to make a U-turn to go northbound, the department spokesperson said.

When he was backing up, he went onto the sidewalk, according to police.

The woman was rushed to Bellevue Hospital with head and hip injuries, but was expected to survive, the spokesperson said.

The woman seems to have been selling ice cream outside of Tompkins Square Park with her husband from a cart on the sidewalk when she was hit about 3:45 p.m., police said. Her husband was not injured.

The NYPD spokesperson said the driver remained at the intersection.

No arrests had been made as of about 5:30 p.m. Monday. Police said information regarding whether the driver would be issued any summonses was not yet known.

The crash happened at the northeast corner of Tompkins Square Park along Avenue B — where there is an ongoing push from East Villagers to implement a two-way protected bike lane as well as pedestrian safety improvements, such as curb extensions. The DOT is studying the feasibility of such a plan for Avenue B, which currently has two lanes for traffic and two lanes for parking in both directions.

The NYPD's Collision Investigation Squad is investigating.

UPDATE: The NYPD said Friday after 5 p.m. that the investigation remains ongoing when asked questions about any arrests, summonses, and whether the woman had since left the hospital.