NEWARK, NJ – A serious accident on Wednesday morning left two art teachers injured in a crash that occurred outside Arts High School on Martin Luther King Boulevard. The incident unfolded around 10:30 a.m. as teachers gathered for a professional development seminar.
Witnesses described a gray van that failed to stop at a stop sign at Mercer Street, colliding with a white Hyundai on MLK Boulevard. The impact caused the van to careen onto the sidewalk, striking one pedestrian and then hitting another woman seated on a ledge.
Both injured women are art teachers at East Ward Elementary School. One remains in critical condition, while the other is undergoing surgery, according to authorities.
Classes were not in session for public school students due to a scheduled staff development day, though a few students were present in the building working on an extra credit assignment.
The drivers involved in the crash were also hospitalized. However, officials said their injuries are not considered to be life-threatening.
Newark police, alongside the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the dangerous crash.
This recent incident adds to a troubling pattern of accidents in the area. Last year, an Arts High School cheerleader was severely injured when she was hit by a vehicle after disembarking from a school bus at the same location.