STATEN ISLAND, NY — Stores at a Castleton Corner mall had a busy Saturday as they made repairs and assessed damage caused by a 70-year-old female driver who drove her Hyundai sedan into three store windows Friday afternoon.
Steve Rubin, owner of Todt Hill Wine and Liquors, said he has not yet fully estimated the cost of repairs, but police said the driver “lost control of her vehicle,” damaging the facade of her store, two lottery machines and shelves full of merchandise.
“I wasn’t here, so I don’t really know,” Rubin said. “Thank God she didn’t kill anyone. That’s the main thing.”
NYPD spokespeople did not respond to a request for comment Saturday, but told Advance/SILive.com Friday that they do not suspect any criminal involvement in the incident, which occurred at 754 Manor Road around 2:33 p.m. Friday.
Emergency responders also told Advance/SILive.com on Friday that one person was injured in the incident, but a spokesman for the city’s Department of Public Works (DOB) said Friday evening that four people were injured in the incident.
This DOB spokesperson said there was no structural damage at the three affected locations – Todt Hill Wine and Liquors, a Chase Bank branch and a SuperFresh supermarket – so the department did not issue evacuation orders.
A Chase spokesman said the branch was closed Saturday for repairs, closed as usual Sunday, and expected to reopen Monday.
A request for comment from SuperFresh was not returned Saturday, but the store appeared to be open again around 10:30 a.m. Customers were also seen entering and leaving the liquor store.
According to an NYPD spokesman, first responders took the driver to Richmond University Medical Center in stable condition.