No one hurt when woman crashes SUV into post office building in Kings Park

An 84-year-old woman crashed her sport utility vehicle into the U.S. Post Office building in Kings Park on Wednesday morning, causing damage to the building, Suffolk police said.

No one was injured in the crash, Suffolk County police said.

Police said the crash was initially believed to be a hit-and-run, but said the woman later told responding officers that she didn't have cellphone service at the scene — and drove from the location to phone police from a landline nearby. She has not been charged.

Police said the incident was reported in a 911 call at 8:57 a.m. and police and fire officials confirmed police officers, the local fire marshal and firefighters from the Kings Park Fire Department all responded to the scene at 125 E. Main St.

The building is across the street from Kings Park High School.

Town of Smithtown spokeswoman Nicole Garguilo said Wednesday that a town public safety and buildings department officials were working with the postal officials to assess damage. But since the building is federal property it is the federal government that ultimately is responsible for any assessments — and remedies, she said.

"Our inspectors recommended that the Postal Service reach out to a qualified engineer — and told them we're there to provide support, if needed," Garguilo said.

Photos from the scene showed extensive damage to the exterior brick facade on the building, with more than a dozen horizontal rows of brickwork damaged or knocked out — and a hole punched through the exterior wall and interior insulation and sheeting, with interior damage to an office wall. A corner trim cap on the outside of the building also was damaged.

Though officials could not immediately comment on the extent of any structural or foundation damage, those photos showed deep cracks in the cement outside the building, as well as a gap between exterior wall and that concrete. A number of crumbled and destroyed bricks lay scattered about the exterior scene and photos from the interior office space showed a hole punched through the sheetrock, which was damaged in a number of places. Dust and debris littered a desk.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Postal Service said initial indications were that the vehicle, described by police as a Subaru Outback, did not impact the lobby area of the building.

"The Postal Service is grateful that no employees nor customers were injured in the Kings Park incident this morning," said Amy Gibbs, USPS spokesperson for Long Island and Queens. in an email. " An unoccupied office was impacted and is scheduled to be repaired today. We thank first responders for their quick action and assistance. There will be no change to retail or delivery operations."

Police initially said the driver fled the scene. Citing the active investigation, officials could not immediately provide additional details on the crash.

With James Carbone

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”