A Honda pickup truck veered off course on Grove Avenue as it headed toward Bloomfield Avenue late Sunday night and crashed into Congregation Beth Ahm. The synagogue’s lawn sign was destroyed, as was some landscaping, and a large hole left in the front facade. There is a visible crack in the wall inside the synagogue’s library, a large bookshelf was pushed away from the wall and a stained glass window was cracked.
The Verona Police Department identified the driver of the pickup as Vincent J. Ferraro of Verona. According to the police report, the driver said he “was feeling fatigued” and “could not recall” what happened. Ferraro, who was not injured, was not given an alcohol or drug test.
Beth Ahm does not yet have an estimate on what it will cost to repair the damage, but office manager Laurie Brandt expressed the congregation’s gratitude that the driver was able to walk away from the accident. “The most important thing is that the person could walk away,” she said. “He definitely could have been hurt. Air bags are a great sfety feature.”
