By Mirna Alsharif -
NBC News
At least 23 people, including three children, were injured after an SUV operating as Uber crashed into a bar and restaurant in New York City late Monday, authorities said.
A call was received for a report of a vehicle crashing into a building at West 204th Street and Broadway around 8:59 p.m., according to the New York City Fire Department.
An SUV crashed into Inwood Bar & Grill in Manhattan, New York, on January 2, 2023.WNBC
Preliminary reports suggest that a driver in an Audi sedan leaving a gas station rear-ended a Toyota RAV4 that was operating as Uber at the time.
This caused the driver of the RAV4, a 31-year-old man, to lose control of the car, run onto the sidewalk and crash into the Inwood Bar & Grill, police said.
According to Uber, there was a passenger in the car during the accident.
[On video: Miraculous rescue after car fell off a cliff]
"Our thoughts are with all those injured and affected by this horrific accident," Uber said in a statement.
"We are communicating with the driver and passenger, and we stand ready to assist law enforcement in any way we can in their investigation."
The death toll rises to 15 after a bus overturned in Mexico
Jan 1, 202300:21
Nineteen people, including the driver of the RAV4, were taken to area hospitals while the others refused medical attention.
All had non-life-threatening injuries, according to authorities.
The driver of the Audi fled.
No arrests have been made as of Tuesday morning.