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Car Crashes Into Pedestrians In Times Square

Source: Brazil Photo Press/CON / Getty

One person is dead and 22 are injured after a driver plowed through a Times Square crowd earlier today, the New York Times reports.

Richard Rojas, who has a history of drunken driving arrests, was taken into custody by authorities after being tackled by a traffic guard as he fled from the scene.

The tragedy caused widespread panic, with the accident echoing terror incidents involving trucks and pedestrians that have occurred in both Berlin and Stockholm.

“Based on information we have at this moment, there is no indication that this was an act of terrorism,” Mayor Bill de Blasio told reporters. “We all feel deeply right now for those who were injured and for their families.”

According to officials, around noon, Rojas was traveling south on seventh avenue in Manhattan when he suddenly made a U-turn, mounted a curb on the one-way street and plowed through pedestrians.

Annie Donahey, a witness to the horrifying scene, described her shock and fear as he ripped through the crowd.

“It was going at a fast rate of speed and to me it looked like it was trying to hit as many people as possible,” she said. “People were trying to jump out of the way.”

Rojas has not been formally charged as of this afternoon.

SOURCE: New York Times 

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1 Dead, 22 Injured After Car Accident In Times Square  was originally published on hellobeautiful.com