one dead and 22 injured as car rams into pedestrians in times square - electronic billboards

All of a sudden, there is a car that shouldn't be a car: In the spectacular sunshine of Times Square, the car is turned across the bloating crowd on the sidewalk --filled day.
And very fast.
When it hits the post, an 18-year-
The old woman died, 22 injured, and the heart of Manhattan turned into a scene of panic and slaughter.
The car was a maroon Honda Accord, which traveled more than three blocks on the sidewalk.
"They scream, shout, run," said Sharief White, a vendor who sold T-
Shirts and hats on 7 th and 44 th streets, see Honda moving fast in the crowd.
"It runs on everyone in front of the car.
"Spread out in one of the city's most crowded and highest places
The incident immediately triggered the spectre of terrorism.
An attempted car.
The bomb attack in Times Square on 2010 remains a strong memory for many, and recent terrorist attacks overseas show that vehicles can cause harm when used as weapons.
Officials say the driver of Honda, 26-year-old Richard Rojas, a Navy veteran from the Bronx, was arrested for drunk driving and was quick to take
"Based on the information we have at the moment, there is no indication that this is a terrorist act," Mayor Bill de Blasio told reporters at a press conference near the scene of the atrocity. Mr.
According to several law enforcement officials who did not want to be named, Rojas appeared to have been affected by drugs when they massacred people, and they discussed an ongoing investigation.
Officials said he strolled and talked about various things and made some statements, suggesting that he might want to provoke the police to kill him.
It's about noon.
Rojas turns to the side of the road near 42 th Street, then accelerates north along the sidewalk on Seventh Avenue, extending south on Seventh Avenue --
Hit people one block after another
Alyssa Elsman, 18, from Portage, Michigan.
Officials say they were killed in the disaster. Her 13-year-
My sister was injured.
In a building on 44 th Street and 7 th Avenue, a security guard said he had watched the game through the lobby window when Honda flew past and drove past a woman.
"As soon as she hit the floor, he walked over from her," said the guard, who had not been named.
Other witnesses said they were scared to see frightened bystanders fighting for safety.
Anne donahi, 24, said: "It's fast and for me it looks like it's trying to hit as many people as possible . " She just got off work.
"People are trying to jump out of this road.
The car galloped through the 45 th Street and then hit a roadblock in front of the Marriott Marquis hotel.
The driver tried to escape but was soon surrounded.
Asa Lowe, 42, said: "He started trying to run away . " He has been walking on the Seventh Avenue.
"The traffic police caught him.
The general public caught him.
We become the city we need to be today.
"The crashed Honda stayed in place all day, as if in a disaster --
The film is still in the constant cycle of electronic billboards and advertisements in Times Square.
The car is right.
As the smoke rises from under the wrinkled front hood, the side wheels hang in the air.
The trunk was opened and a pile of debris was exposed.
The rear bumper was torn off and lay in the middle of the street a few blocks away.
On a nearby pedestrian street, there is a small group of people who are not emergency medical personnel: a couple with two young children.
The man held a boy in his arms.
The woman was wearing a flowing sundress, holding the hand of a girl.
It is not clear whether they are in contact with any of the victims.
They walked slowly, as they were in a daze. Mr.
According to law enforcement officials, Rojas provided an alternative explanation for the incident to investigators who said the investigators did not immediately reach any conclusion.
"He just said something crazy rambling," an official said . "
Rojas talked about hearing voices and hallucinating.
"He tried to fight the police.
Two officials said.
The alcohol test results of Rojas were negative;
An official said preliminary tests showed that he was affected by PCP, an emotion --altering drug. Mr.
Another official said Rojas ended the inquiry by eventually asking for a lawyer.
Another witness, Magdy Tawfik, a hot dog vendor who works near the corner of 44 th Street and 7 th Avenue, said he saw the hot dog vendor and he saw
"One of the girls who was hit must be around 20," said Mr. Tawfik said.
"She looks like my daughter.
I can't stop crying.
She is too young.
He told half of the episode.
An hour after the end, there are still Emergency rescue workers, police in tactical gear and crazy scenes with warning bands around the corner.
A young woman sat in a nearby chair and grabbed her chest when the onlookers provided her with water.
"The car is driving fast here and it is driving very fast and crushing all these people," he said . ".
"It came across all these people and everyone was running and screaming. ”Mr.
White, a clothing vendor, stands next to a woman lying on the sidewalk surrounded by caregivers.
"It hit her . "
White said, pointing to the woman who groaned in pain.
"It hit several other people.
Then the next thing I know is directly to the 45 th.
It runs about 100 miles an hour, and then the car crashes.
"Daniel P. " suffered multiple fractures and injuries, and four others were seriously injured.
The fire commissioner said.
They were taken to two hospitals.
Three other people were seriously taken to hospital.
Others were in minor injuries. Mr.
Rojas was taken to Bellevue Hospital for assessment before being detained by police.
Later on Thursday, he was charged with one murder, 20 attempted murders and five serious vehicle killings.
He has a record of aggressive behavior.
On May 11, he was arrested for threatening a man to come to the notarized documents of the Walton Avenue apartment and charged with threatening to hold weapons.
A criminal complaint claimed that he held the man's neck with one hand and raised a knife and said, "You want to steal my identity.
On May 12, he admitted the harassment and accepted a conditional release.
April 2015, Sir.
Rojas was arrested in Manhattan for drunk driving.
A police officer said in criminal proceedings that he was vague, his eyes were bloodshot and his breath smelled of alcohol.
He admitted the violation and was sentenced to complete the drunk driving program, 90-
Suspended business license and fined $500.
He was also arrested in 2008 for driving in Queens, where he was affected, and admitted to violating the law.
According to Navy records, he served in the Navy from July 2011 to May 2014.
He said the Navy officer would not describe the exact situation of his departure, but rather a friend of his, Hansel greello.
Rojas told him that he was fired not only in color.
In September 2012, he was stationed at a naval base in Jacksonville, Florida.
According to the records, he was arrested and charged with beating and resisting an officer because he refused to pay for the taxi and beat the taxi driver.
He returned to New York after retiring from the Navy and began to express his conspiracy to the government. Guerrero, 26. Mr.
Mr. Graco grew up with him.
Rojas of Bronx said his friend was not the same as when he joined the Navy.
Sir, before entering the Army
The two will go out to play together and repair the car together, says greello.
By the time he got home, he had become paranoid.
"He thinks everyone can control him . "Guerrero said.
"They try to control his life and what he wants to do in his life.