Car flips, teen walks away

Driver escaped serious injury when his car overturned last Wednesday on Passaic Ave. in Kearny. Photo by Karen Zautyk

KEARNY –

Only hours after one Kearny teenager was killed in an auto accident (see p. 1 story), another escaped serious injury when his car flipped over on Passaic Ave. near North Midland Ave. last Wednesday.

The lucky driver, a 17 years old, was alone in the car, heading north on Passaic,  when he missed the curve on the hill just south of the railroad  trestle at about 5 p.m., police said.

According to the police report, the teen said the car drifted as he was putting something into the glove box. The 1991 Mercury clipped the curb, hit a utility pole and overturned, ending up on its roof in the middle of the two-lane road.

No other vehicles were involved.

When police arrived at the scene, the driver was sitting on the curb, waiting for them. He apparently suffered only a knee injury and was taken to Clara Maass Medical Center in Belleville.

He was also issued a summons for careless driving.

The accident forced police to close Passaic Ave. from North Midland to Laurel Ave. at the height of afternoon rush-hour, causing traffic backups on local streets.

 

––– Karen Zautyk

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