Howard Beach, NY (October 15, 2026) – A 73-year-old male customer and the driver were hospitalized after an SUV crashed through the brick wall of New Park Pizza on Cross Bay Boulevard. Officials said both suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The damage forced the popular pizzeria to close.
The crash happened around 1 p.m. on October 15. The SUV’s driver was a 68-year-old woman, and officials said she accelerated instead of braking while trying to park. The vehicle went through the wall and almost all the way into the restaurant.
The vehicle was removed after the crash, and crews worked to shore up the damaged area so repairs could be made. FDNY Chief Malek Alhadi said the Department of Buildings was on scene helping with a structural assessment.
A vacate order was issued for New Park Pizza, which will remain closed until the damage is repaired and the building passes inspections. The pizzeria has been in business for decades. The family that owns it has not commented, and an investigation is underway.
This is a developing story. Details may change as the investigation continues.
After an SUV Crash in Queens: What the Numbers Show and What to Do
NYC DOT recorded 57 traffic deaths in Queens in 2025, down from 74 in 2024, according to its January 2, 2026 year-end release. The same release counted 47,557 traffic injuries citywide through December 15, 2025, with full-year injury data still being processed.
Customers and drivers hurt in a crash like this can take these steps right away:
- Get a medical evaluation even if the injuries seem minor. Head, neck, and back symptoms can surface days later.
- Ask the responding officers for the police report number and the unit handling the investigation.
- Photograph the damaged wall, the SUV’s position, the parking lot layout, and any curbs, barriers, or wheel stops before repairs begin.
- Ask the restaurant and nearby businesses to save their camera footage, since systems record over old video quickly. Collect names and phone numbers for witnesses and staff.
- Tell your own insurer about the crash promptly, and decline a recorded statement to any other insurer until you’ve spoken with an attorney.
- Keep damaged clothing, phones, and other belongings as they are until they’ve been photographed and documented.
- Keep every medical bill and every record of missed work.
Liability When a Vehicle Crashes Into a Business in New York
Drivers owe a duty of care to everyone around them, including people inside a building beside a parking lot. The driver’s auto liability policy is the first place an injured customer’s claim goes.
Other parties enter the picture only when the evidence supports it. The registered owner of the SUV can share responsibility if someone else was driving. A property owner or operator gets a closer look when investigators examine whether barriers or the lot’s layout played a part. Each of those questions turns on evidence that repairs and cleanup can erase.
- Evidence: the SUV’s event data recorder, camera footage, the crash report, and the building’s records show what the vehicle did. They also show what stood in its path.
- Shared fault: officials say the driver accelerated instead of braking, and insurers still test every claim for shared fault. New York’s 2026 rule for motor vehicle injury claims can bar recovery when a claimant’s fault outweighs the defendants’ combined fault (CPLR § 1411(b)).
- No-fault deadline: anyone seeking no-fault benefits must give written notice to the no-fault insurer within 30 days. The crash happened on October 15, 2026, so that deadline falls on November 14, 2026.
- Lawsuit deadline: New York gives three years to file a personal injury lawsuit (CPLR § 214), which puts the deadline at October 15, 2029.
Car Accident Help Close to Home in Howard Beach and Across Queens
Frekhtman & Associates has represented injured New Yorkers for more than 25 years from offices in Brooklyn, Manhattan, the Bronx, and Queens. We offer Russian-language services, and clients who can’t travel can meet with us at home or in the hospital.
Our Queens car accident attorneys deal with the insurers, preserve the evidence, and take the case to trial when an offer falls short. Founding attorney Arkady Frekhtman holds a 9.8 out of 10 Superb rating on Avvo. He earned a spot on the National Trial Lawyers Top 100 in 2017. Clients have left the firm 4.8 stars across more than 155 Google reviews.
A Queens car accident claim comes down to who handles it and what they have won before. This is what Frekhtman & Associates brings:
- $900M+ recovered for injured New York clients across more than 25 years of practice
- $69,225,000 auto accident jury verdict, one of the largest in New York State history
- Free 24/7 consultations, including home and hospital visits for clients unable to travel
- Personal callbacks from founding attorney Arkady Frekhtman
- Russian-language services available
- Zero fees unless we win your case
- Queens office in Forest Hills, serving families across the borough
The Queens office on Metropolitan Avenue in Forest Hills is the closest to Howard Beach. Call 866-821-0718, stop by, or send the details through our contact form.
