maroman88
07-15-2009, 12:54 AM
BREAKING NEWS: Traffic cop injured at Sonic drive-in
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Last updated: Wednesday July 15, 2009, 12:08 AM
BY JUSTO BAUTISTA AND WILLIAM LAMB
NorthJersey.com
Staff Writers
0 Comments HASBROUCK HEIGHTS — A borough police officer directing traffic outside the wildly popular Sonic drive-in was injured tonight when he was struck by a car, police said.
The officer, whose name was not immediately released, was in serious condition at Hackensack University Medical Center, police said. They still were interviewing witnesses late tonight, and released few details.
Several teenagers in their cars at the drive-in heard the crash and ran to the scene, on Route 17 north. They saw a Honda Civic with its front end smashed, facing north, and up against an Acura SUV facing south, both vehicle pinned against the center median in the northbound lane.
They said they saw the officer pinned between the two cars. “The officer wasn’t moving … his eyes were closed,” said Ryan Conlon, 17, of Allendale.
“We heard, like, a screech, and then a loud thud … it sounded like somebody hit something heavy,” said Conlon, who was at the drive-in with two friends, Brandon Neuburger, 18, of Allendale, and Nicole Piazza, 18, of Ho-Ho-Kus.
Police called for help from other departments along Route 17 to help clear the way while en route to the hospital with the injured officer.
The Sonic on Route 17 north opened last month. Another Sonic is planned for Route 46 east in Totowa. Witnesses and customers described the hamburger joint, billed as America’s Drive-in, on Route 17 north as a congested scene and told of the frustration of trying to get into one of the parking spaces before they heard a crash.
One customer, P.J. Montevirgen, 29, of Hackensack said he had to circle up and down the highway to try and get a spot, and saw an Acura SUV trying to get a spot and a police officer telling the driver the lot was full. The Acura driver suddenly floored his vehicle in front of the officer, jerked to the left, and disappeared behind some car. Moments later, Montevirgen said, he heard a crash.
“It’s a real popular spot. … I’ve been hearing about it [the drive-in],” said a 50-year-old Ramsey resident who declined to give her name. She said she had circled on the highway five times before she pulled into the drive-in. “People jockey to get position in the right lane to get in.”
As she pulled in, she spotted two police officers directing traffic and blurted to herself about the position of one of them, “That cop is going to get killed.” Five minutes later, she said, she saw all the commotion.
“It’s just a really dangerous set-up,” the Ramsey woman said.
E-mail: bautista@northjersey.com
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Last updated: Wednesday July 15, 2009, 12:08 AM
BY JUSTO BAUTISTA AND WILLIAM LAMB
NorthJersey.com
Staff Writers
0 Comments HASBROUCK HEIGHTS — A borough police officer directing traffic outside the wildly popular Sonic drive-in was injured tonight when he was struck by a car, police said.
The officer, whose name was not immediately released, was in serious condition at Hackensack University Medical Center, police said. They still were interviewing witnesses late tonight, and released few details.
Several teenagers in their cars at the drive-in heard the crash and ran to the scene, on Route 17 north. They saw a Honda Civic with its front end smashed, facing north, and up against an Acura SUV facing south, both vehicle pinned against the center median in the northbound lane.
They said they saw the officer pinned between the two cars. “The officer wasn’t moving … his eyes were closed,” said Ryan Conlon, 17, of Allendale.
“We heard, like, a screech, and then a loud thud … it sounded like somebody hit something heavy,” said Conlon, who was at the drive-in with two friends, Brandon Neuburger, 18, of Allendale, and Nicole Piazza, 18, of Ho-Ho-Kus.
Police called for help from other departments along Route 17 to help clear the way while en route to the hospital with the injured officer.
The Sonic on Route 17 north opened last month. Another Sonic is planned for Route 46 east in Totowa. Witnesses and customers described the hamburger joint, billed as America’s Drive-in, on Route 17 north as a congested scene and told of the frustration of trying to get into one of the parking spaces before they heard a crash.
One customer, P.J. Montevirgen, 29, of Hackensack said he had to circle up and down the highway to try and get a spot, and saw an Acura SUV trying to get a spot and a police officer telling the driver the lot was full. The Acura driver suddenly floored his vehicle in front of the officer, jerked to the left, and disappeared behind some car. Moments later, Montevirgen said, he heard a crash.
“It’s a real popular spot. … I’ve been hearing about it [the drive-in],” said a 50-year-old Ramsey resident who declined to give her name. She said she had circled on the highway five times before she pulled into the drive-in. “People jockey to get position in the right lane to get in.”
As she pulled in, she spotted two police officers directing traffic and blurted to herself about the position of one of them, “That cop is going to get killed.” Five minutes later, she said, she saw all the commotion.
“It’s just a really dangerous set-up,” the Ramsey woman said.
E-mail: bautista@northjersey.com