Car Drives Off Road And Damages Steps In Fort Tryon Park

UPPER MANHATTAN, NY — Steps in Fort Tryon Park were badly damaged at the end of last week by a car that drove onto the pedestrian path and crashed into the granite walkway, police and Jennifer Hoppa, the executive director of the Fort Tryon Park Trust and Parks Department employee, told Patch.

A car was found abandoned near the Linden Terrace staircase on Friday morning, Hoppa added.

"Our staff has inspected the serious damage to the Linden Terrace staircase and blocked the area off with barricades and caution tape as a safety measure," a spokesperson from the Parks Department told Patch. "We are developing a plan for repairs. The eastern side of the main staircase is closed until further notice. Parkgoers can still access Linden Terrace using the western side or the northern staircase that leads to the terrace."

Hoppa added that there was a possibility of adding a guard rail in front of the staircase.

Police told Patch that a car was found abandoned at 6 a.m. on Friday at 99 Corbin Drive within Fort Tryon Park.

NYPD added that a preliminary investigation found that a 2002 Ford collided with the stairs and the driver fled the scene.

There are no arrests as of Tuesday morning and the investigation remains ongoing.

Multiple people on Upper Manhattan Facebook pages mentioned seeing car debris in the area on Saturday.

The nearby Heather Garden was not damaged.