New Year’s Day crash causes chaos for local restaurant, owner vows to rebuild

In the aftermath of a dramatic early morning crash on New Year’s Day, Chirp restaurant on 34th Street and 9th Avenue found itself at the center of an unexpected ordeal. Car parts scattered across the sidewalk, marking the aftermath of a collision that altered the plans of Boris Torres, the eatery’s owner.

Torres, waking up to the sight of damage, expressed a surprising sense of calm, stating, “It’s actually more calm than I was expecting.” The incident unfolded around 1:30 a.m. on Monday when police responded to a dispute in a car on 33rd Street and 7th Avenue. Subsequently, the driver veered onto the sidewalk, colliding with a food truck and sending nine individuals to nearby hospitals, fortunately with no serious injuries reported.

While the focus was on the well-being of those involved, Torres lamented the impact on his restaurant, which he had nurtured for the past five years. “It sucks. I was supposed to be off today. My guys were supposed to be off today, but now I’m going to come and clear it up, and I’m going to do some investigation on how we sort this out,” Torres shared, expressing his disrupted plans to spend the day with his family.

Examining the exterior damage, Torres highlighted, “Just the facade that we built during COVID, the facade is intact.” Despite the setback, he maintained a resilient perspective, acknowledging that, “After COVID, I feel if nobody is hurt, material damage can be redone.”

Looking ahead, Torres pledged to collaborate with his insurance and the Department of Buildings to navigate the necessary steps for recovery. In the face of unexpected challenges, the restaurant owner remains determined to rebuild and restore his establishment to its former glory.