NEW YORK — The unbalanced lady who informed police she “prayed to God” as she plowed into seven pedestrians at a Midtown Manhattan intersection has been charged with a number of counts of tried homicide, police mentioned Tuesday.
Imani Lucas, 29, can also be going through fees of assault, reckless endangerment and leaving the scene of an accident.
She faces one depend of tried homicide for every particular person she allegedly struck after driving her Honda by means of a crimson gentle at Sixth Ave. and W. thirty sixth St. simply north of Macy’s Herald Sq. about 11:55 p.m. Sunday.
She struck six males and a lady within the crosswalk, together with an Italian couple on a honeymoon tour of the U.S., in response to the Italian-language publication La Voce di New York. The couple was recognized as Giulia Gardani, a 34-year-old tennis teacher from Piacenza, and her husband Matteo Maj, a 51-year-old graphic designer.
They have been rushed to Bellevue Hospital together with two different victims, together with a 28-year-old man who suffered a head damage and two damaged legs within the crash.
One other sufferer, a 32-year-old man, was taken to New York-Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell, the place he was in steady situation. Two different victims declined medical consideration, cops mentioned.
Police imagine she was within the throes of a psychological disaster. She was briefly hospitalized earlier than being taken to a Midtown precinct stationhouse to be charged.
She’s anticipated to be introduced to a different hospital on Tuesday earlier than her arraignment, a police supply mentioned.
“I simply prayed to God,” she informed cops as she was taken into custody, in response to a police supply. “And I closed my eyes once I went by means of there.”
Lucas mentioned she lived in New Jersey however police mentioned her final identified deal with was on the Higher West Facet.
Her victims, who vary in age between 24 to 60, have been crossing Sixth Ave. with the stroll gentle after they have been struck, cops mentioned.
Lucas continued east and fled by means of the Midtown Tunnel however by then police had an outline of her automobile and the license plate quantity.
As soon as in Queens, she continued east on the Lengthy Island Expressway and struck two autos close to the Horace Harding Expressway and 188th St., about 11 miles from the scene in Midtown.
Police noticed that her plate matched the one on the Accord concerned within the Manhattan crash and took her into custody. She examined unfavourable for alcohol.
The drivers she struck in Queens declined medical consideration.
Lucas’ arraignment in Manhattan Legal Court docket was pending Tuesday.