An 80-year-old woman was killed Friday afternoon when a vehicle drove onto a Brooklyn sidewalk, according to the New York Police Department. The incident occurred shortly before 1:30 p.m. at the intersection of East 92nd Street and Rutland Road in East Flatbush.
The driver, a 63-year-old individual, was making a right turn onto East 92nd Street from Rutland Road when the Lexus RX 350 reportedly mounted the curb. Witnesses described the vehicle accelerating onto the sidewalk and striking the victim, who was pinned against the wall of a business.
"A car came up on the sidewalk and scooped [her] underneath the car and just dragged her," said Smiley Adams, an eyewitness. "I couldn’t believe it. It didn’t look like real life. It looked like a movie… I’ve never seen nothing like that happen in real life."
Another witness stated the victim had no time to react. Debris, including pieces of concrete and parts of a tree, were scattered on the pavement, indicating the force of the impact.
The driver remained at the scene following the crash. No arrests have been made, and an investigation into the incident is ongoing. Authorities have not yet confirmed if the crash was accidental.
Locals described the intersection as dangerous, with vehicles frequently speeding around the corner and onto the sidewalk in attempts to beat traffic lights. "It could be anyone. They come around this corner fast a lot. They try to catch the light, make the right turn and end up on the sidewalk. It’s very scary," said one resident who declined to give her last name.