Car Accident Shuts Park Street Down Thursday Morning

Motorists using Park Street Thursday morning not only had to contend with the signals being turned off for construction at Clement Avenue, but also with an accident at the corner of Santa Clara Avenue.

Just before 10 a.m. on September 5, according to the Alameda Police Department , several passersby reported a car driving into the front window of the Gong Cha tea shop . First responders from APD and Alameda Fire Department arrived a few minutes later to find the motorist still inside the vehicle.

According to APD Lieutenant Alan Kuboyama, “The motorist made a northbound turn onto Park Street from eastbound Santa Clara Avenue. During the left turn, the motorist collided into two pedestrians who were walking in the north crosswalk of Santa Clara Avenue. It seems the vehicle then continued to the left and struck the building.”

Although neither of the pedestrians showed any significant visible injuries at the scene, they were transported to a local hospital as a precaution. The driver was not injured and remained at the scene and was interviewed by emergency responders. APD has not indicated whether or not the driver was under the influence or if charges will be filed.

The Alameda Post’s offices are located on the other side of the block, so we were on the scene shortly after the incident occurred and recorded this video. A car on a flatbed truck seen in the video is not related to the incident.

APD officers redirected traffic from the scene for about an hour as the vehicle was removed. AC Transit was also notified to reroute bus service. Park Street was reopened to traffic just before 11 a.m.

The City’s Building Inspector was called to evaluate the structure of the building. It is not yet known how much repairs to the storefront will cost or how long they will take. The building has stood at that corner for 150 years, housing the International Order of Odd Fellows, a post office, a drug store, a shoe store, and other tenants over the years.

Update 8:15 a.m. September 6: Closed circuit video from inside Gong Cha was shared on Reddit. Warning, the video is graphic and shows the driver hitting pedestrians.

Adam Gillitt is the Publisher of the Alameda Post . Reach him at publisher@alamedapost.com . His writing is collected at AlamedaPost.com/Adam-Gillitt .

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