Wrong-way driver injured several people, including an officer, blocks from Times Square less than two hours after the ball dropped

NEW YORK CITY, NY - On Monday, January 1st, shortly after the New Year's Eve festivities that take place in Times Square, seven people including one police officer, were injured when a wrong-way driver sped out-of-control and crashed in Midtown Manhattan. 

According to ABC News, authorities with the New York Police Department (NYPD) stated that 44-year-old Mohamed Alaouie has been charged with three counts of attempted murder, reckless endangerment, criminal possession of a controlled substance, leaving an accident with a serious injury, and driving while intoxicated.

The incident happened around 1:30 a.m., spanning multiple city streets on West 33rd and 34th streets, between Sixth and Ninth Avenues. Police said that the suspect was in his vehicle having a dispute with another person while sitting at the intersection of West 33rd and 7th Avenue. 

Bystanders said that they noticed the man engaged in the heated dispute, which they say turned physical inside of his black Mercedes-Benz, with New Jersey plates. Cab driver Sheikh Milon, who said his vehicle was struck during the "chaotic rampage," said, "I was scared. Everybody was scared. The [suspect] could have killed me and other people on the street. He could have killed the police officers. He didn't care about anyone so he could have hit us and killed us."

Officers were already in the area investigating a possible crime when they attempted to intervene in the alleged altercation. The suspect fled police and drove north, which was the wrong way on the one-way avenue. He struck multiple vehicles before fleeing at a high rate of speed westbound onto the sidewalk of West 34th Street.

Authorities said that the driver struck a food truck that pinned a 39-year-old female pedestrian underneath it. He also struck at least six other pedestrians. All victims were taken to Bellevue Hospital and were listed in stable condition. 

Milon said that the chaos began when the suspect was driving fast on the sidewalk and refused to comply with the officers' orders to hit the breaks. The area was filled with people and police who were leaving Times Square after the New Year's Eve festivities. 

Milon said, "He backed up and hit me on the right side. He hit the back door. I had two passengers, two young men. They opened the door and ran. I don't know if they got hurt. After the car hit my car the driver tried to go up 34th Street, but he could not because the traffic was bad, so many cars. He tried to make a U-turn. He tried to go away, but he could not."

The cab driver said that he believes the driver was trying to hit police, with an estimated 50 to 100 officers in the area. Milon said, "He tried to hit the cops. He did not care. An Uber car was in front of me. He hit the Uber and then he hit me again for the third time."

Milon said that he also went to the hospital and was treated for injuries to his right knee, right shoulder and neck. He said, "Right now my knee is hurting. I think I'm going to have a problem with my knee. I cannot walk as before." One police officer was transported to NYU Langone Medical Center for minor injuries and was listed as in stable condition. 

The suspect was transported to the same hospital as all of the victims. He was initially listed in critical but stable condition and was considered stable by later that afternoon. In investigation is active and ongoing. The New York Post stated that sources confirmed with them that the suspect has 10 prior arrests, including drugs and criminal possession of stolen property.