Driver, 61, slams Mercedes into outdoor dining section of NYC restaurant killing delivery worker

A 29 year-old food delivery worker died after a 61 year-old woman suffered a suspected medical emergency and plowed her Mercedes into an outdoor dining area. 

The unnamed woman was driving north on 35th Street in the Ditmars-Steinway neighborhood of Queens, New York, around 7.45pm on Thursday evening when she lost control of her car. 

It ran through about 40 feet of tables and chairs at the Rosarito Restaurant and Pisco Bar while doing around 50mph, the New York Daily News reported.

Police sources and witnesses told the outlet the woman may have been suffering a medical episode when she lost control of her vehicle.

A moped deliveryman, 29, was in-between two outdoor dining rooms on Ditmars Boulevard when he was hit. The worker was taken to Mt. Sinai Queens Hospital where he died, police said. His identity has not been released. 

The driver and a female patron of the restaurant were also taken to a local hospital but their conditions remained unclear, the New York Post reported.

Scroll down for video 

At least three people were hurt after a car crashed into Rosatoro Restaurant and Pisco Bar in Astoria and caused multiple injuries Thursday evening, witnesses and the FDNY said

At least three people were hurt after a car crashed into Rosatoro Restaurant and Pisco Bar in Astoria and caused multiple injuries Thursday evening, witnesses and the FDNY said

The out-of-control Mercedes caused carnage at the Astoria restaurant, and is said to have plowed through 40 feet of tables before stopping

The out-of-control Mercedes caused carnage at the Astoria restaurant, and is said to have plowed through 40 feet of tables before stopping 

Fire officials say the vehicle plowed through the restaurant at around 7:45 p.m. at the corner of 35th Street and Ditmars Boulevard

Fire officials say the vehicle plowed through the restaurant at around 7:45 p.m. at the corner of 35th Street and Ditmars Boulevard

A woman who may have suffered a medical emergency while driving a Mercedes slammed into the outdoor dining section of a restaurant in New York City

A woman who may have suffered a medical emergency while driving a Mercedes slammed into the outdoor dining section of a restaurant in New York City

Video shared online show people on stretchers being loaded into an ambulance. 

According to the New York Post, the Benz first hit two parked before hitting the deliveryman and continuing on – dragging him underneath her car before driving through the outdoor dining area.

A witness who was inside an Uber at the time said, in a video shared by the freelance news agency @ScooterCasterNY, that the woman had passed the car he was in at ‘well over 50 mph’ before the crash.

Olivia Olinger, 26, witnessed the tragic wreck from across the street and told the Daily News that before the driver was taken to the hospital she was removed from the SUV by rescuers and spoke with medics.

Surveillance footage from inside the restaurant shows the moment the SUV came barreling through outdoor dining

Surveillance footage from inside the restaurant shows the moment the SUV came barreling through outdoor dining

A table of patrons inside the restaurant were seen reacting to the wreck

A table of patrons inside the restaurant were seen reacting to the wreck

The diners jumped up from their seats after the accident, videos show

The diners jumped up from their seats after the accident, videos show

A moped deliveryman, 29, was in-between two outdoor dining rooms on Ditmars Boulevard when he was hit. The wrecked Mercedes can be seen at the rear of the photo

A moped deliveryman, 29, was in-between two outdoor dining rooms on Ditmars Boulevard when he was hit. The wrecked Mercedes can be seen at the rear of the photo 

The worker was taken to Mt. Sinai Queens Hospital where he died, police said

The worker was taken to Mt. Sinai Queens Hospital where he died, police said

Police had closed off local streets after the horrific wreck on Thursday

Police had closed off local streets after the horrific wreck on Thursday

Photos show the outdoor dining room for a Peruvian restaurant called Rosoto completely demolished

Photos show the outdoor dining room for a Peruvian restaurant called Rosoto completely demolished

‘She was shook up, and they took her away,’ Olinger said.

Photos show the outdoor dining room for a Peruvian restaurant called Rosoto completely demolished. Ditmars Boulevard has numerous bars and restaurants with outdoor seating and is a popular, busy area.

Rosatoro’s manager Kevin Sales, 30, told the Daily News that the SUV ‘came out of nowhere.’

He told the outlet that the hard-working deliveryman ‘worked for a lot of places around the area.’

Sales said the restaurant had luckily decided to seat people indoors because it was too cold outside. 

‘People wanted to sit there, but we said, ‘No, come inside, it’s cold’,’ he said. ‘They were really lucky.’

Outdoor dining areas first appeared in New York City last summer, after eating inside restaurants was banned because of COVID.

Restaurants have since been allowed to reopen their indoor dining rooms at 50 percent capacity, but most have retained their outdoor seating to provide extra capacity.  

source: dailymail.co.uk