Imani Lucas has been identified as the driver responsible for a gruesome hit and run attack on at least seven helpless pedestrians. It all happened late on Sunday night, August 20 at West 36th Street and Sixth Avenue in midtown Manhattan. Police relate that they arrested the 29-year-old female suspect after another crash in Queens. Also, informative details from a late breaking update just came in.
Suspect driver in custody
Details are still sketchy and nobody has any idea about a motive, if the driver even had one. What we do know is that a Honda Accord “was turning onto Sixth Avenue when she plowed into seven people in the crosswalk” and kept going.
She left behind a “gruesome and bloody scene,” NBC New York reports.
Police issued a statement confirming that “one of the victims suffered critical injuries in the chaos and was rushed to Bellevue Hospital. Five others were also taken to area hospitals.” Their conditions haven’t been revealed, neither have the ages or descriptions of the victims. One person “refused medical treatment.”
29 year old Imani Lucas is arrested on charges in connection with crash that injured 7 people in Manhattan.https://t.co/WyouLGSCwK
— The Tornado News (@TheTornadoNews) August 21, 2023
As paramedics tended victims in the street, the driver made it “all the way to Queens before officers caught up with her on the Long Island Expressway.”
The pursuit ended soon when she caused another crash, “this time with two other vehicles near Fresh Meadows.” The report notes “Lucas was taken into custody at the scene of the second crash,” listed as Horace Harding Expressway and 188 Street.
It doesn’t appear that anyone was seriously injured in that crash. Police also haven’t decided what to charge the driver with, yet.
It’s in God’s hands
A late breaking update just coming in from Radar Online adds that the driver is “believed to have been suffering a mental health breakdown and has since been hospitalized for a psychiatric evaluation.”
They also nailed the time of the incident down to 11:55 p.m. As they put her in cuffs, Ms. Lucas allegedly said, “it’s in God’s hands.”
Matching other various reports, the update also notes that “a graphic and disturbing video captured the bloody aftermath of the incident, showing the pedestrians sprawled across the pavement. Some appeared to be in agony while others seemed to be unconscious.”
"A vehicle plowed through seven pedestrians at a Midtown Manhattan crosswalk late Sunday night, leaving at least one critically injured, according to police and law enforcement sources."https://t.co/kNq6ePpYXp
— Mr Producer (@RichSementa) August 21, 2023
The driver “tested negative for alcohol.” It’s also been confirmed that “no one was injured after the second crash.” Images of the Honda “show it was completely destroyed with a shattered windshield and bashed-in hood.”
Local residents on the scene “rushed in to help, with a few on the phone in hopes of getting the victims immediate medical attention.” Shahzaib Arshad relates, he saw “people mangled. There was lots of blood.” They also have more details on the victims, adding that “those pedestrians who were injured are in stable condition as of Monday morning.”
Five were “treated at Bellevue Hospital including a 34-year-old woman, three men in their 20s, and one man in his 60s” In addition, “a 32-year-old man was treated at Weill Cornell Medical Center, and a 30-year-old man refused medical attention at the scene.” The driver won’t be going anywhere for quite a while. Even in liberal Manhattan you can expect serious charges for this.
