Woman Killed After Driver Bails Out Of Stolen Car During Police Pursuit In Queens
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Police were on the hunt Wednesday for a driver in a crash that left a woman dead in Queens.
Emergency responders swarmed the vehicle in Jamaica at around 9:15 p.m. on Tuesday after police said it rammed into a 60-year-old woman, killing her.
The NYPD said it all began when officers tried to stop a gray Hyundai Sonata at a light after finding it was stolen. They say the driver took off, heading south on Sutphin Boulevard for several blocks.
The driver bailed out of the car and ran, according to police. The empty car continued to roll down the block and fatally struck the woman as she crossed Archer Avenue, police said.
"I came up the train station stairs. Basically, a car had hit someone over here. It was crazy. The person was stuck under there for several moments," witness David Sincere said. "A lot of people, lot of cops, lot of helicopters ... They said the person had ran off."
Good Samaritans rushed over to try and help.
"We heard a loud boom. We all ran across the street, a group of my friends, to go see what was happening," witness Jade Turner said. "It was some lady stuck in between the car. The car flew and hit her."
Bystanders said they saw the victim pinned beneath the tires.
"Just blood coming from her. She wasn't moving or anything. Everybody was trying to speak to her," Turner said. "We all helped and pushed the car off of her, and we saw them trying to revive her, like bring her back to life or whatever, but it didn't happen."
The victim had severe head trauma and was pronounced dead at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, police said.
One worker said the victim was a regular at his deli, just steps from where she died.
"The lady, she's a customer here almost every day. She's very, very nice and quiet," Mithak Shamak said. "I'm very sad and very mad about it."
"A lot of people was out here crying, because it could've been one of us under there, you know?" Turner said.
"Life is short life, just simple as that. You're on your way home from work and, boom, you get hit by a car," Sincere added.
People told CBS2 they are hoping for a speedy arrest.
Anyone with information about the crash is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or 1-888-57-PISTA (74782) for Spanish. You can also submit a tip via the Crime Stoppers website, by tweeting @NYPDTips or by texting 274637.
