Two individuals suffered injuries when an NYPD marked vehicle crashed into a commercial bus, which was then pushed into a parked delivery truck and collided with a hotel, according to police reports.
The police SUV was heading south on Broadway around 5:50 a.m. when it struck a white bus on Walker Street.
This caused the bus to slam into a delivery truck positioned at the corner of the Walker Hotel Tribeca.
Authorities reported that the 49-year-old driver and a 36-year-old passenger in the truck were taken to New York Downtown Hospital, where they are in stable condition.
People aboard the bus left the scene prior to police arrival, and the 60-year-old bus driver was unharmed. The officer involved was also taken to a local hospital and reported to be in stable condition.
Witnesses stated that police sirens could be heard distinctly during the incident.
Nick Barthams, who works at a nearby coffee shop within the hotel, described the moment: “I was just opening the shop when suddenly, I heard police sirens racing, and then a bus came careening across the street, hitting the building hard.”
“It crashed into the window railing and made the entire structure shake,” he noted. “It really took everyone by surprise.”
The delivery truck was reportedly bringing food to the coffee shop at the time.
The police confirmed that the officer was en route to pick up another officer at the Manhattan Central Booking located on Center Street.
The crash damaged a part of the historic building’s facade; images from the scene reveal significant structural damage. The building, established in 1899, used to serve as a factory for buttons and ribbons.
Some residents of the hotel reportedly felt the vibrations from the impact and sought to investigate, as stated by barista Valsames. “It just rattled the place a little bit,” he added.
Authorities are currently looking into the cause of the accident.
