A woman driving her car north on Hope Street in downtown Bristol appeared shaken but relatively healthy after slamming into a tree and flipping her car onto its roof at about 1:25 p.m. Thursday afternoon.

According to one witness, the woman was driving north on Hope Street, between Bradford and Franklin streets, when she veered across to the southbound lane, hit a tree between the roadway and sidewalk and flipped over.  The driver, and older woman, was out of the car and sitting on the steps of a nearby residence, moments after the crash. She was driving a four-door BMW, which sustained signficant damages.

Police and fire officials closed Hope Street at both Bradford street and Franklin street while crews work the scene.