Updates at the end: Witnesses say it was intentional.
A man from the Bronx, 26-year-old Richard Rojas, was arrested after plowing his car into pedestrians, killing one reportedly 18 or 26-year old woman and injuring as many as 23 according to CBS News and a press conference with the mayor. Three of the injured are in critical condition.
People were on the hood of the car as he tried to escape according to some witnesses.
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Rojas was driving the wrong way on 7th Avenue and speeding at 90 mph for at least three blocks.
Rojas, who is former Navy, had two prior DUIs and might have been drunk at the time of the accident.
In a news conference, New York Mayor Bill DeBlasio said that the suspect is a U.S. citizen who served in the military and has a criminal history. De Blasio said it doesn’t appear to be terror related.
When the car finally crashed into a pole, the driver got out of the vehicle and tried to run away, according to witnesses. He punched a police officer before several cops were able to apprehend him, witnesses said.
Video of suspect in Times Square car “accident” being arrested by NYPD. pic.twitter.com/fFbFEiZxR7
— Josh Caplan (@joshdcaplan) May 18, 2017
FDNY — confirms 19 injuries, 1 fatality in Time Square accident
Four of the 19 are serious. The rest are non life threatening. pic.twitter.com/OYic0kpxxZ— Sandra Bookman (@SandraBookman7) May 18, 2017
“There’s no indication this was an act of terrorism,” NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio says at presser addressing Times Square incident pic.twitter.com/jV4UXB25ZL
— CBS News (@CBSNews) May 18, 2017
UPDATE
WITNESSES SAY IT WAS INTENTIONAL
The media says the Times Square suspect was only drunk and it was an accident but witnesses say otherwise. pic.twitter.com/bkv4cBD4jl
— Steve Hirsch (@Stevenwhirsch99) May 18, 2017
The woman who died is Alyssa Eisman of Portage Michigan who was walking with there 13-year old sister.
There is also no sign of alcohol in his system.
NEW: Times Square driver blew a 0.0 when tested for alcohol; drug tests are ongoing – WNBC https://t.co/p95acXF9KI pic.twitter.com/7nnsfbhhcQ
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) May 18, 2017
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