A van driver fell asleep at the wheel and plowed into a lamppost, late Monday evening, the driver told police.
A resounding screech and terrific bang stirred residents on East 28 Street and 2nd Avenue at just before 9:30 p.m. on Jan. 10 after a van skidded off the road and into a traffic light lamppost.
The work vehicle was mangled around the metal post and glass lay sprinkled across the sidewalk, much to the horror of eyewitnesses. Patrons from a nearby Deli dialed 911 and rushed to render aid, with one man, who wished to remain anonymous, pulling open the small truck’s side door, allowing a passenger to escape.
The passenger appeared to have a broken ankle and remained motionless but conscious while bystanders attempted to offer comfort. The driver and another passenger suffered minor injuries and were taken to Bellevue Hospital.
Within several minutes of the incident occurring, emergency services arrived at the scene. EMS began wrapping the injured man’s bloody wound while firefighters ensured the vehicle was not a fire risk. The damage was so severe it knocked out traffic lights for the entire block, forcing responding officers to block off the street.
The driver, who remained at the scene, admitted to police that he fell asleep at the wheel.
