Hit-and-run in Midtown Manhattan kills tourist, injures companion
NYPD says a van struck a visiting couple on East 40th Street near Fifth Avenue; the vehicle fled and no arrests have been reported.
A hit-and-run in Midtown Manhattan left one person dead and another hospitalized Wednesday afternoon, police said. The crash occurred just before 2:40 p.m. at East 40th Street and Fifth Avenue, when a van struck a woman and her husband who were visiting from Hamburg, according to witnesses and local reports. Police said the van did not remain on the scene, and investigators were pursuing leads on the suspect vehicle, including a report that one vehicle bore a vanity plate that read "TIMES SQUARE." per witnesses and coverage from local outlets.
One woman, about 50, was pronounced dead at the scene, and a 55-year-old man was transported to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition, police said. The couple were visiting from Hamburg. The vehicle did not remain on scene, NYPD said. The Highway District’s Collision Investigation Squad is handling the investigation; there have been no arrests as of Wednesday evening. The NYPD also noted that one of the suspected vehicles is said to be a Toyota Sienna van.
The incident drew quick eyewitness accounts as authorities gathered details in one of the city’s busiest corridors. Rosa Paredes, who was working at an ice cream truck nearby, said the van sped away after running over the couple. "As he was reversing, the woman was under the van. The man was stuck under the tire. He got himself out," Paredes recalled. Another witness, Houssaim Coly, said his coworker described the crash as "a terrible accident."
Police identified the scene in Midtown Manhattan and said the identity of the deceased is pending family notification. The NYPD confirmed there have been no arrests and that the investigation remains ongoing by the Highway District’s Collision Investigation Squad.
The identities of the victims have not been released publicly, and investigators have not disclosed additional details about potential motives or a suspect vehicle. The crash, which occurred in a busy commercial area, underscores the challenges of urban traffic safety and the speed with which a routine afternoon can become a frantic emergency.
