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Oops. Councilwoman strikes Council staffer with city car

Accidents happen, as Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez and an aide to Councilman Bill Greenlee can attest.

Two Fridays ago, the councilwoman was backing into her assigned parking space outside City Hall when she struck Julie O'Connell, who handles constituent services for Greenlee, knocking O'Connell to the icy ground.

Sources tell us that O'Connell's fur coat was damaged in the accident and that Quinones-Sanchez offered to pay her $75 to clean it. Yesterday afternoon Councilman Greenlee, speaking on O'Connell's behalf, said he did not know about the damaged coat, but that O'Connell had "a twinge in her lower back" for which she had been to physical therapy as a precaution. "It was a minor accident. She's gonna be OK," said Greenlee, who did not believe O'Connell had missed any work because of it.

Despite there being no visible damage to her car, a 2002 Ford Crown Victoria, any accidents involving city vehicles are to be reported to the office of fleet management. No report was filed over the Friday-the-13th incident.

Quinones-Sanchez did not return several messages left with her office staff yesterday.