Mercedes nearly mincemeat after Ponsonby crash

The damaged vehicle came to rest only inches from a Ponsonby Rd fashion shop. Photo / Brett Phibbs

A man suffering a diabetic attack swerved 500m down a crowded Ponsonby Rd yesterday afternoon before crashing into a designer clothes shopfront.

The man, believed to be fashion designer Sally Ridge's stepfather, first hit a parked Chrysler before crashing into a parked BMW further along Ponsonby Rd. His Mercedes and trailer came to rest inches from the shop window of the Juliette Hogan store.

The driver was not seriously injured. He was able to return home after being treated by a paramedic.

Ms Hogan was sitting in her store when the vehicle crashed, and said it was incredibly lucky no one was hurt. "It could have been a lot worse. There was no one on the footpath at the time."

Police closed one lane of Ponsonby Rd for an hour.