Woman Distracted By Phone Falls Into Sidewalk Cellar
PLAINFIELD, N.J. (CBS/AP) — A New Jersey woman distracted by her cellphone was injured when she fell over open basement access doors and fell 6 feet into the opening.
Surveillance video captured the woman on Thursday as she walked along a Plainfield street. The 67-year-old landed in the cellar of Acme Windows, where workers were repairing gas lines.
The woman, whose name was not released, was taken to a hospital. Police said her injuries were not life-threatening.
Her son tells CBS New York that the video doesn't tell the whole story. He said his mother is legally blind and diabetic.
"As far as I was told, when she was walking down the street, she felt a little nauseous in a sense, and looked at her phone to see what time it was," the woman's son told CBS New York.
He added that she has difficulty seeing blended colors, and thinks workers should have put up cones or done something to alert people to use caution.
(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)