MASSAPEQUA, N.Y. – A teenager drove to a crowded suburban mall on Thursday but neglected to park — instead smashing through the entrance and cruising past clothing stores before exiting the car to deliver a speech to onlookers, police said.
The 19-year-old man drove through the mall's main glass doors at around 7 p.m., continued past a JCPenney, passed the mall's central court, knocked over a kiosk and then made two left turns before exiting near a McDonald's, Nassau County police said.
After breaking through the second set of doors at Westfield Sunrise mall, the driver exited the car and started giving a rambling speech before being restrained by a passer-by until police got there, Officer Thomas Brussell said.
Shoppers said they had to run through a pet store to get out of the way.
"People were running into stores, you know, and screaming," Theresa Schuessler recalled.
No one was seriously hurt by the sedan, although one onlooker suffered minor cuts to the foot after stepping on some of the broken glass. The rampage caused about $60,000 worth of damage, police said.
Brussell said he did not immediately have information on what could have driven the man to take a spin indoors. Charges were pending.
The mall closed two hours early so workers could clean up the mess.
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