2 teachers critically injured in car crash outside Newark school
NEWARK, N.J. — Two teachers were critically injured after two cars crashed in front of a Newark high school Wednesday.
According to police, the two drivers collided on Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard in front of Arts High School around 10:30 a.m.
A witness told CBS News New York one of the drivers then hit two women who were walking on the sidewalk and pinned one of them against an exterior wall of the school.
Both pedestrians and both drivers were taken to a local hospital for treatment. The pedestrians were last reported to be in critical condition, and the drivers were last reported to be in stable condition.
The Newark Teachers Union confirms that the two pedestrians are both teachers at East Ward Elementary School. According to the union, the union president has visited them at the hospital, and they are waiting for approval from their families to release more information.
Police are still investigating the crash. It's unclear as to who is at fault.
Newark residents say Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard is dangerous
The crash happened just yards away from where Chiara Jones, an 18-year-old Arts High School student, was struck by a driver as she exited a school bus back in February. Jones was critically injured.
Those who live and work in the area say the road is a dangerous one.
"There's a lot of accidents always on this street," said Nellie Escobar, who works in the area. "It's real sad that we have to come to work and see things like this and more."
"You just never know. You can be in the right place at the wrong time or the wrong place at the wrong time," Newark resident Sharee Campbell said.
At the time of the crash, teachers from across Newark were meeting at the high school for a training known as "Development Day."
"We were wondering what was happening because they closed the main door, and yeah, it was just kind of intense," art teacher Elm Ventura said.
Luckily, Ventura says, no kids were in school at the time; they had the day off.
"It's good that students weren't on site because that would be a bigger concern, for their safety," he said.
The Newark Board of Education is declining to comment on Wednesday's crash, saying the police department is handling the investigation.
