At least six people have been hospitalized with varying injuries after a New York City taxi cab hopped a curb and struck a group of pedestrians before crashing into a building in Manhattan, according to New York City Police Department (NYPD) officials.
At least three individuals were said to be in critical condition upon transit to the nearby Bellevue Hospital.
The taxi driver is among those injured, and did not attempt to flee the scene, responding authorities noted.
The NYPD’s afternoon news briefing detailed that those critically injured included two women who were pinned against a wall of the crash site and a cyclist who was also struck by the taxi driver amid a left-hand turn onto the busy Manhattan street.
“The cab seems to speed up, it strikes two female victims, and presses them against the wall," said NYPD Deputy Chief John Chell. "As this occurs, a remarkable scene took place — about 15 to 20 New Yorkers attempted to pick this cab off these women."
Eyewitness footage uploaded to Twitter and the Citizen app showed the taxi parked on the sidewalk as emergency personnel and onlookers traverse the area.
“They were on scene quickly and rendered aid, did everything they could,” Chell said of the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) emergency personnel who responded to the incident.
Members of the public have been told to avoid the area around the Broadway-W 29th St. intersection and 1186 Broadway, the initial address reported for the crash.
Preliminary findings suggest the driver may have lost control of the vehicle after suffering a medical emergency, an NYPD spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
The NYPD, FDNY, and highway investigation personnel were all seen scouting the area for additional clues on the circumstances leading up to the Monday afternoon crash.
Investigating authorities have reportedly recovered video evidence of the incident.