Thomas MacMillan Photo
When the light turned green, the driver of a Saturn sedan hit the gas — and found a man suddenly rolling up his hood and cracking his windshield.
That accident happened just before noon at the intersection of Whalley Avenue and Fountain Street, in Westville. Police said a man was struck by a car. He suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was taken away in an ambulance.
Moments after the crash, the 18-year-old driver (at left in photo) of the car that struck the pedestrian was waiting for his vehicle to be towed away, and recovering from the accident. He declined to give his name, but he did describe what happened:
At the time of the accident, he was heading into New Haven from Oxford to run an errand. Originally from Kansas, he said he just moved up to Connecticut after graduating high school to work in a bakery in Hamden. He said he’s about to move back.
Coming into Westville on Whalley Avenue, he stopped at a red light at the intersection with Fountain Street. His was the first car in line, in the right lane. A van was next to him, in the left lane.
When the light turned green, he and the van accelerated. All of a sudden a man appeared from around the van and collided with his car, smashing his windshield.
Maurna Aquila, in her office at nearby Aquila Motors, said she heard “a big thud.”
Other witnesses said the man who was hit was an older man who tried to cross against the light.
Officer Shapiro said the man was conscious, talking, and answering questions when he was taken away to the hospital. He said the incident was still under investigation.
In other police news according to Lt. Lisa Dadio:
Police responded at 11:42 p.m. Wednesday to the Dominos Pizza at 357 Whalley Ave. on a report of a robbery. Employees told police that an older man with a gray beard came in the store with a gun and demanded money. The workers thought the gun was fake and fought with the robber, who tried to take money from the register. He was able to grab a small amount of money before running out of the store.
Crime Map
Click here for a list of major crimes for Oct. 13. Click on the image below to see those incidents placed on a citywide map.
NHPD
For block-by-block year-to-date crime information, plus daily crime maps, check out the Independent’s Crime Log.