PITTSTON — A statue of Christopher Columbus landed on a car after a crash in Pittston. It happened around 5:30 p.m. Wednesday in Pittston near the interse...

PITTSTON -- A statue of Christopher Columbus landed on a car after a crash in Pittston.

It happened around 5:30 p.m. Wednesday in Pittston near the intersection of Kennedy Boulevard and South Main Street.

Police say a vehicle drove over the curb, smashed into a fence, and slammed into the base of the statue. The statue came crashing down on the back of the car, smashing the rear window.

Marie Griglock heard it happen.

"A very large crash. Never thought it was that, though, he really hit it solid. He really hit it solid,” she said.

Folks in Pittston called it unbelievable.

"First time I ever saw Columbus come down, you know. It had to be hit pretty hard for it to come down,” said Alicia Lynch of Pittston.

The driver was taken to a hospital.

As crews lifted the statue, a crowd gathered to watch.

"I mean every time I drive by, I'm like, 'Wow, look at that statue.' You know, it's one of the big things here in Pittston. Just seeing all this, I'm amazed,” said Amber Borysewicz of Pittston.

"I would say the person had to be going pretty dang fast honestly,” said Kyle Biggers of Pittston.

City leaders call the statue a point of pride.

"We brought in the statue in 1969 from Italy and we've been taking care of it, the Italian Americans ever since," said Herman Castellani of the Italian American Association of Luzerne County.

“Somebody came in and said the statue was down and I thought everybody was joking, and then the chief came in with a picture and we thought it was in pieces!" said James DeIce of the Italian American Association of Luzerne County.

The Columbus statue is made of strong Carrera marble, according to the Italian American Association, which is why it wasn't damaged.

"The main thing is that the statue is intact, it looks like it's not damaged, miraculously. Could be a miracle, you know,” laughed Pittston Council Member Danny Argo.

In Pittston, Christopher Columbus statue lands in a car after a crash. Onlookers call it "unbelievable." @WNEP pic.twitter.com/WJSvue5pKC — Sarah Buynovsky WNEP (@SarahBuynovsky) December 7, 2016

City officials do not believe the statue itself was damaged and plan to put it back up once the fence is repaired.