Police are searching for the driver of a dump truck that crushed a 21-year-old woman in Union Square and drove off, leaving her to die on the street. Click below to find out more.
The woman, whose name was not immediately released, identified, was walking east on 14th St. and began crossing Broadway in the crosswalk with the light when the accident occurred, a witness said. The truck made a right turn onto Broadway from 14th and ran her over about 1:30 a.m., the witness and police said.
She was crushed underneath the rear wheels of the truck, which continued south on Broadway, fleeing the scene, police and a witness said. She was taken to Beth Israel Hospital, where she died.
Police are reviewing surveillance video of nearby businesses in an attempt to identify the truck.
An eyewitness said the truck mowed her down in the crosswalk and just kept going.
“He didn’t see her. It was a big truck, a dump truck,” said William Cayame, 22. “The light was for her. She had the walk sign,” he said.
“She fell on the floor. I just heard the sound, like bones breaking,” Cayame said, “It was awful.”
Cayame said he ran across 14th St. to Union Square park, to get two police officers who were on patrol. Cayame said he was so upset by what he saw he had trouble telling the officers what happened.
“I ran to tell the two officers and I couldn’t speak. I was like in shock,” Cayame said. He said he tried to get a look at the truck as it fled, but his view was blocked. “I was trying to see the license plate number, but I couldn’t see it.”
Another witness said he had just come out of a nearby drugstore and heard the awful sound of the woman being crushed.
“I heard the noise. I heard her get hit — boom,” said Rudy Dearaujo, 42. “I saw the police coming from the park and everybody standing here by her body. They were checking her pulse.”
He said he felt terrible for the young woman, who was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
“It sad man. You’re here now, but you never know where you’re gonna be the next minute,” Dearaujo said, “Life is so precious.”
