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Man Arrested After Driving into Pedestrians in Times Square

Tourists and locals were stunned when a man sped his 2009 Honda Accord into a group of pedestrians in busy Times Square. An 18-year-old woman was killed and another 22 people were injured in the mayhem.

The incident happened Thursday, May 18. The woman who died was a tourist from Portage, Michigan. The driver, meanwhile, was a 26-year-old man from the Bronx. According to reports, the man is known to have suffered from various “psychological issues,” and told police after the incident he was expecting them to shoot him. He had two drunk driving arrests on his record, but no other criminal background.

Mayor Bill de Blasio said there was nothing to indicate the incident was a terrorist act. In fact, it was being investigated and processed as if it was an accident, and charges against the driver were still pending. Four victims from the crash were in critical condition, with two more in serious condition. Injuries to the various patients included internal bleeding, pelvic fractures and head injuries, among others. 

Pedestrian accidents common throughout New York

Pedestrian accidents are an unfortunately common occurrence in New York City, something that led to Mayor de Blasio’s 2014 “Vision Zero” campaign to eliminate pedestrian deaths in the city. This case is an outlier in that it involved a mentally ill perpetrator, but there are numerous examples of drivers hitting pedestrians who are attempting to cross the street in the Big Apple.

If you or a loved one has been injured in any accident due to another person’s negligence, speak with a skilled personal injury attorney at Jakubowski, Robertson, Maffei, Goldsmith & Tartaglia, LLP.