Young boy among 6 hurt when taxi hits pedestrians in NYC’s Herald Square

NEW YORK — Six people were hurt, including a young boy, when an out-of-control taxi hit pedestrians in New York City’s Herald Square on Christmas Day.

It happened at around 4 p.m. at 34th Street and Sixth Avenue, a crowded spot near Macy’s.

Three people, including a 9-year-old boy, were hospitalized. The boy suffered an injury to his thigh. A 41-year-old woman suffered a head injury, and a 49-year-old woman suffered a leg injury. Three other women, 49, 37, and 19, all refused medical attention.

Police said the driver, 58, suffered a medical episode and was being evaluated at a hospital, adding no arrests have been made.

“My prayers to the victims,” said Charlton D’Silva of Passengers United. “Hopefully, the cab driver will make it as well.” 

Police said the cab had been traveling northbound on Sixth Avenue when it drove off onto the sidewalk. Video from the scene shows the cab on the sidewalk, its front end crumpled, surrounded by police. 

Witness describes shocking incident

Witness Ryan Tucker described the shocking moments the cab struck his wife.

“We were coming up northbound right on the sidewalk, didn’t really hear much. That’s when my wife got hit, kind of up on her back shoulder. Sent her spinning, didn’t knock her to the ground,” Tucker said.

He said he checked on his wife to make sure she was OK, and then saw the boy trapped beneath the taxi.

“He was trapped under the tire, and when we moved the car back, realized that what ended up being his mom was underneath the car. She was coherent and speaking to him, and keeping him calm,” Tucker said.

Tucker said he and other pedestrians rocked the car back to free the boy and his mother, who were tourists from Australia. He said the injured boy told him it was the worst holiday ever.