By Tom Tracy
When Wednesday comes around, people usually cheer, knowing that the weekend is just around the corner. But this week, there were a few people in the area who were praying that this particular “hump day” would end as soon as possible. Cops and motorists parked along 7th Avenue were among those groaning, “It was one of those days” on January 24 after a brazen robbery of a Park Slope bookstore and a massive car crash involving a school bus occurred just a few hours from each other. Let’s talk about the worst one first. Police said that they were called to 7th Avenue between President and Union streets at about 3 p.m. after a school bus traveling southbound veered into oncoming traffic and smashed into three parked cars and a tree. Witnesses said that the bus literally turned into a wrecking ball, smashing a set of smaller parked cars into twisted shards of metal. The woman behind the wheel then attempted to back up from the carnage, only to lose control of the bus again and slamming into another set of parked cars on the other side of the avenue. Upwards of a dozen vehicles were damaged, officials said. They were uprooted as well — at least one SUV ended up on its front wheels after the sedan behind it was forced to stick its nose under the vehicle’s tail pipe. Paramedics at the scene said that two people were removed from the bus, which was empty at the time of the crash. No children were on board, officials said. Although it was not clear what led to the crash, sources said that the bus driver may have lost consciousness. The two victims were taken to Lutheran Medical Center for treatment. An FDNY spokesman said that it did not appear that the two victims had suffered any serious injuries. Police said another area woman was taken to the hospital just a few hours earlier, but she wasn’t in any accident. Her injuries were deliberate, exacted by a man who wanted to rob her book store. Officials said that thief entered Adam’s Books, 456 Bergen Street, at 12:30 p.m. and demanded money. During the course of the heist, the slimy book worm picked up a small cash register from the counter and cracked it over a female employee’s head as he scrambled for the door. The thief was last seen running down Bergen Street with the cash register in his hands. Witnesses told investigators that the thief may have come to the store earlier in the day with the intention of selling them a sack-full of books, but was turned away. Although her injuries were not deemed serious, she was taken to an area hospital for evaluation. As this paper went to press, the thief was still at large. Anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to contact the 78th Precinct at (718) 636-6411. All calls will be kept confidential.
