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Taxi Cab Jumps Curb Near Radio City Music Hall, Strikes Pedestrians

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A woman lost part of her leg and two other people were hurt after a taxi jumped a curb in Midtown Manhattan on Tuesday morning.

The pedestrians were struck near Radio City Music Hall at around 11 a.m., when a taxi lost control and jumped a curb at 49th Street and Sixth Avenue.

Authorities said two pedestrians and a cyclist were struck when the cab jumped the curb.

The bicyclist, who did not want to give his name, said the cabbie -- identified by several media outlets as Faysal Kabir Mohammad Himon, 24, of Queens -- was trying to turn from Sixth Avenue onto 49th Street, which set off a wild string of events.

"He didn't want to stop. I told him to stop. He got angry because I told him to stop, so he deliberately accelerated his car," the bicyclist told WCBS 880's Jim Smith.

Three People Struck By Taxi Near Radio City Music Hall

The bicyclist said he was hit and landed on the hood of the cab.

"He went through me, through the bike, through the lady and through the grass over there," the bicyclist said. "I was on the roof of the car, and I got thrown about 30 feet into the bushes. I get back up, the lady, she's unconscious with her leg cut off."

Three People Struck By Taxi Near Radio City Music Hall

A 23-year-old woman, identified as Sian Green, from England, was rushed to Bellevue Hospital in critical condition. She lost her left foot, and her right leg was injured, CBS 2's Alice Gainer reported.

Dr. Oz with Good Samaritan at taxi scene, David Justino
Dr. Oz with good Samaritan David Justino at the scene of a taxi crash in Midtown. (credit: Dr. Oz/Facebook)

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Witnesses said Green was pinned under the cab.

Good Samaritans brought ice and made a makeshift tourniquet to help the victims, Smith reported.

Pizza truck owner Max Crespo immediately ran to help.

"Myself and a plumber put a tourniquet on," Crespo told Gainer. "The plumber took his belt off and applied the first tourniquet. I grabbed her leg, the part that was torn off, and put it in a bucket of ice."

The plumber, David Justino, said Green was screaming that she was in pain.

"I just took my belt off and just put it up by her butt as high as I can, hold it as hard as I could till (her leg) stopped leaking," Justino told CBS 2's Don Champion. "I just held it."

TV's Dr. Oz, who was also at the scene, said the action taken by bystanders saved the woman's life, 1010 WINS' Al Jones reported.

"While in a meeting in our offices near Rockefeller Center, I heard an accident occur on the street below," Dr. Oz said in a comment posted to his Facebook page. "A taxi driver lost control of his cab and collided with a woman, badly injuring her leg."

Dr. Oz posted a photo with Justino.

Along with a nurse, their quick actions are being credited with saving the woman's life.

"He is a hero. Let me tell you what a hero is -- he is a hero," said food truck owner and witness Jack Rahmey.

Justino, however, downplayed his role.

"Just did what needed to be done, guys," he said. "There's no hero. Just Dave the plumber."

Himon was issued a summons for being an unauthorized driver.

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