Car flips off Garden State Parkway in Elmwood Park, narrowly misses home; 1 seriously injured

A car crumpled, a tree split in half and a woman was seriously injured, but a house remained untouched.

Lanette Espy and Isabel Litterst

May 13, 2024, 9:16 AM

Updated 154 days ago

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A woman was seriously injured when her car flipped off the Garden State Parkway this morning and narrowly missed striking a house.
The crash happened on Craig Court in Elmwood Park around 2 a.m. Police say a Toyota Camry was traveling north on the Garden State Parkway near milepost 158.5.
According to police, the Toyota veered off the roadway to the right, traveled up a grassy embankment through a fence, and struck several trees while overturning.
Police say 38-year-old Lisnelia Espinal, from Bergenfield, sustained serious injuries. From the looks of the crash, neighbors say it’s nothing short of a miracle that Espinal survived.
Car flips over, landing in front of house in Elmwood Park. (News 12 photo/Toniann Antonelli)
“God must’ve been watching her because the car came so close to hitting that house,” said Giovanni Scolaro, of Elmwood Park.
Scolaro told News 12 that he woke up to a “bang” just before 3 a.m. He says he followed the lights and sirens and found the source on Craig Court.
“I saw this car, mangled. I’m just shocked that she did survive,” he said.
“There’s no exit sign that would tell you to veer off,” Scolaro added. “It’s incredible that someone survived that crash.”
New Jersey State Police are leading the investigation.