Hit-and-run in Midtown Manhattan kills tourist, injures couple; investigation ongoing
Police say a van struck a woman and her husband on East 40th Street near Fifth Avenue; the vehicle fled the scene as authorities investigate.
A hit-and-run in Midtown Manhattan left one person dead and another hospitalized after a vehicle struck a man and a woman on East 40th Street near Fifth Avenue just before 2:40 p.m. Wednesday, police said.
The woman, a 50-year-old tourist visiting from Hamburg, died at the scene, and her husband, 55, was transported to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition, authorities said. The couple were pedestrians when the crash occurred, and the van fled the area.
A Nuts4Nuts vendor nearby described hearing the crash and seeing the van accelerate away. The vendor said the van appeared to maneuver sharply before backing up and striking the couple; the woman was reportedly under the vehicle, and the man pulled himself free. EMS responders pronounced the woman dead on scene, and the man was taken to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition. The vehicle did not remain at the scene.
Police said one vehicle was described as bearing a vanity plate reading "TIMES SQUARE" and investigators are reviewing surveillance footage and interviewing witnesses. A suspected vehicle is described as a Toyota Sienna minivan, though authorities have not released a definitive make or model.
The NYPD Highway District’s Collision Investigation Squad is leading the inquiry. No arrests have been announced as officers gather evidence, notify relatives, and review street surveillance.
The incident occurred in a busy midtown corridor, underscoring ongoing concerns about pedestrian safety in New York City. Officials stressed that information is preliminary and the investigation remains active.