NYPD: Search On For Driver Who Injured Woman In Midtown Hit-And-Run
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The search continues for a driver who police said slammed into a woman in Midtown and sped off.
As CBS2's Hazel Sanchez reported, the woman identified as 60-year-old nanny, Engrulia Cruz, was on her way to Sunday morning mass around 10:30 a.m.
Police said the woman was hit by a dark-colored Toyota Sienna with New York State license plates near the entrance of the Queens-Midtown Tunnel at 38th Street.
She was then dragged for a block before the driver went the wrong way on East 37 Street. In surveillance video, police said the driver is seen moving traffic cones in an effort to get away for the scene. He then turned northbound onto 1st Avenue, police said.
The victim, who suffered body trauma and a broken leg, was taken to an area hospital in critical but stable condition.
Pedestrians said the entrance to the Queens-Midtown Tunnel at 38th Street is a speedway, especially on weekends when the main entrances are often closed.
"A lot of times cars coming towards the tunnel or out of the tunnel, a lot of the drivers are really frustrated," said resident Sam Kuckley.
Nanny Maritza Silva cares for two children in the same condominium where Cruz is a live-in nanny.
"It's very, very scary. We got to be careful for to cross the street, especially with the kids, you know," she said.
Cruz, who emigrated from the Philippines, cares for the 16-month-old daughter of a close family friend.
"I saw the family out here holding the baby, they asked me if I saw anything, but I didn't, but everyone was just devastated even if you don't know the person," Silva said.
Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782), visit www.nypdcrimestoppers.com or text tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.
