At about midnight last night, a police car and a small sedan were involved in a collision at the intersection of Grand Street and Pitt. The occupants of the car – a man and woman, an infant and a girl who looked to be about 10 years old – said they were unhurt.
The woman, a nurse, had just gotten off duty and was returning home to Brooklyn with her family. They were heading west on Grand, through the intersection. They said the police car was coming up Pitt Street in the wrong direction (a one way street) – and it’s overhead flashing lights were not on.
The 7th Precinct is just two blocks away, at the corner of Pitt and Delancey. Emergency vehicles (from the 7th and the fire station next door) routinely go up Pitt southbound, even though it’s a northbound only street. They’re not alone. Last month a man on a motorcycle was badly injured at the same intersection after apparently riding up Pitt the wrong way.
The police car got the worst of it last night. Two officers – a male and a female – surveyed the damage to the front end as they waited for help to arrive. About 20 munutes after the accident happened, two fire engines, an ambulance and another police cruiser showed up.
Cars heading west on Grand navigated around the accident, driving in the eastbound lanes. Eventually, the cruiser and the sedan were pulled to the side of the road.
