Accessibility links

Breaking News
USA

1 Dead After Car Slams Into New York Pedestrians

update

A car rests on a security barrier in New York's Times Square after driving through a crowd of pedestrians, injuring at least a dozen people, May 18, 2017.
A car rests on a security barrier in New York's Times Square after driving through a crowd of pedestrians, injuring at least a dozen people, May 18, 2017.

A car slammed into pedestrians at Times Square, killing an 18-year-old woman Thursday.

Police identified the driver as 26-year-old U.S. citizen Richard Rojas, who had a history of arrests for driving while intoxicated.

Watch: Intoxicated Navy Veteran Arrested In New York Crash

Intoxicated Navy Veteran Arrested In New York Crash
please wait

No media source currently available

0:00 0:02:20 0:00

Twenty-two additional people were injured, according to the New York Fire Department. Four of them were in critical condition, but none is likely to perish, New York Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro told a press conference.

The incident does not appear to be linked to terrorism and is being investigated as an accident, according to New York City police, who are working with the FBI to investigate.

“Based on the info we have at this moment, there is no indication that this was an act of terrorism," New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio told a press conference. "That being said, we are reinforcing key locations around the city with our anti-terror units of the NYPD," he added.

WATCH: NYC Mayor on Times Square accident

De Blasio: 'No Indication This Was Terror'
please wait

No media source currently available

0:00 0:00:16 0:00

Police said the red Honda sedan mounted the sidewalk and traveled for three blocks at high speeds before crashing into a lamp post on 45th Street and Broadway.

President Donald Trump has been made aware of the situation and will continue to receive updates, according to White House press secretary Sean Spicer.

WATCH: Video footage from the scene

Car Crash in Times Square New York City
please wait

No media source currently available

0:00 0:00:30 0:00

The Department of Homeland Security also stated that it is in close contact with law enforcement officials in New York City about the incident.

"The DHS National Operations center has been coordinating with the New York City Fusion Center to provide the Secretary and the White House updates. Local officials are investigating the cause of the incident," it said in a statement.

Police have closed off the area.

Times Square, full of restaurants, shops and entertainment, is a popular tourist destination in New York City, attracting hundreds of thousands of pedestrians on a daily basis.

  • 16x9 Image

    VOA News

    The Voice of America provides news and information in more than 40 languages to an estimated weekly audience of over 326 million people. Stories with the VOA News byline are the work of multiple VOA journalists and may contain information from wire service reports.

XS
SM
MD
LG