Car Narrowly Misses Diners When It Crashes Into Lulu Kitchen & Bar on Sag Harbor Main Street

Sag Harbor Village Police Chief Robert Drake said it was “a miracle” that nobody was injured when a 2006 Honda Element jumped the curb on Main Street in Sag Harbor on Monday afternoon, striking two outdoor tables and smashing the plate glass window at Lulu Kitchen & Bar.

Lucy Caruso, 82, of Sag Harbor was attempting to park in a handicapped space in front of the restaurant shortly after 1 p.m. when her vehicle jumped the curb, sending diners and pedestrians scattering.

Joshua Fishbein, the restaurant’s general manager, said only moments before, a couple with a baby had left one of the tables that was struck.

The vehicle smashed full-length windows but did not enter the restaurant, where other people were seated at tables. Patrons at a second outdoor table were able to move out of the path of the slow-moving car.

A video from a Hamptons.com street camera that was widely distributed Monday showed the Element slowly pulling into the parking space and continuing up to the curb. The brake lights did not appear to illuminate.

Drake said Caruso “failed to come to a stop, proceeding over the curb and onto the sidewalk, striking tables and chairs before coming to rest against the building.” He said no tickets had been issued.

Fishbein said that, while he was thankful nobody was injured, “the village is playing with fire.” He said over recent years several cars have hopped the curb on Sag Harbor Main Street.

“If it happened once, it can happen again,” he said. “And somebody will get injured.”

He suggested that the village would be wise to install metal post barriers to prevent vehicles from jumping the curb wherever there is a restaurant with outdoor dining.