Car jumps curb in New York injuring 6; driver arrested for DWI

NEW YORK -- A car jumped a curb and plowed into a group of people in Herald Square Wednesday night, injuring five pedestrians, the driver and a passenger.

Police say 34-year-old Stella Mednic, of Brooklyn, was drunk at more than twice the legal limit when she crashed her silver Mustang convertible into the Forever 21 store on 34th Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues in Midtown at 9:50 p.m. She apparently tried to drive away after the wreck, but could not.

Authorities say Mednic was eastbound on West 34th Street when she rear-ended a Subaru SUV. As that driver got out of his vehicle to inspect for damage, she apparently attempted to turn around and drive away against traffic, but she struck a Chevrolet Impala head on. That sent the Mustang backward into a yellow cab before she jumped the curb, hit the pedestrians and crashed into the front window of the store.

"It looked like there was an accident behind me, so then, after (s)he hit the person, everybody started getting out of their vehicles and then (s)he just drove away," witness Milton Garcia said. "It looked like (s)he hit the person, and (s)he drove into oncoming traffic, and once traffic started moving, (s)he hit another car straight by the corner. Once (s)he hit that car, (s)he collided straight to the side of the street, and it looked like (s)he hit a couple of people up on the sidewalk."

An 18-year old woman suffered a broken right leg and was the most seriously injured. She is hospitalized in stable condition.

Her 21-year-old sister sustained cuts to her face, while a 24-year-old man had leg injuries. A 27-year-old woman and a 55-year-old man also suffered minor neck and back injuries.

Mednic is charged with leaving the scene of an accident, unauthorized use of a vehicle, criminal possession of a controlled substance, driving while intoxicated, aggravated unlicensed operator and refusing to take a breathalyzer test.