A group of Good Samaritans “towed” a New York City taxicab that had crossed the street and struck several people in Manhattan on Christmas Day, saving a mother and son trapped beneath the vehicle.
The chaotic accident happened outside Macy’s when a northbound taxi driver hit Several people were standing on the sidewalk at the intersection of 34th Street and Sixth Avenue shortly after 4:00 p.m., ABCNY reports.
The 58-year-old driver reportedly experienced a medical event, which may have contributed to the crash.
One witness, a tourist from Oregon, told the outlet how he checked to make sure his wife, who was hit in the back of the shoulder by the taxi, was OK before taking action:
“I ran over and saw there was a little boy there, his foot under the front passenger tire because he was turning around. And then there was a group of people,” the man said. “A gentleman… got involved to shut it down. There was a whole group of us that took the fenders off, backed the car up and that’s when I grabbed the little boy, took him to the corner, I realized that underneath was his mother.
The Good Samaritan noted that the nine-year-old boy’s mother, despite being injured, seemed “incredibly” stable and responsive, considering the circumstances.
A total of six pedestrians were hit by the car, but only the 41-year-old mother and her child were pulled out from under the car and another 49-year-old victim was taken to hospital. Police said none of the injuries were life-threatening.
Police said the driver was also taken to the hospital.
