An FDNY EMT and mother of five is dead after her ambulance was stolen and she was then hit by her own vehicle.
The incident occurred in the Bronx, New York, at just after 7 p.m. on Thursday, a police source told ABC News, and involved two EMTs, both female.
NYPD said Bronx resident Jose Gonzalez, 25, was charged with murder, grand larceny and operating a motor vehicle while impaired by drugs. He is expected to be in court on Friday.
The deceased EMT has been identified by the FDNY as Yadira Arroyo, 44, a 14-year veteran of the FDNY. “#FDNY mourns the loss of FDNY EMT Yadira Arroyo, Station 26, who was killed in the line of duty tonight while serving our city.” the FDNY tweeted.
At a press conference late Thursday, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Arroyo was “lost in the line of duty … bravely doing her job … We lost a good woman.”
NYC Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro added, “No matter how many times we do this, it doesn’t make it any easier.”
BREAKING: FDNY EMT dies after run over by own ambulance after vehicle is stolen in the Bronx: https://t.co/O9BSCX4obA pic.twitter.com/h7uAp3VCMb
— Eyewitness News (@ABC7NY) March 17, 2017
The ambulance was driving when it was flagged down by a pedestrian who was looking for help with an emotionally disturbed person acting out on the sidewalk, the source said.
Arroyo got out to help, while the EMT in the passenger seat stayed in the vehicle, the source said. The person acting out then got behind the wheel of the ambulance and proceeded to drive away.
Arroyo grabbed onto the ambulance and was dragged along, according to the source. When she let go, the suspect then backed the vehicle up and ran her over. As the suspect tried to drive away, the ambulance crashed into a parked car.
An off-duty MTA police officer who happened to be driving by subdued the suspect with the help of some passers-by, the source said. The suspect has been identified by Nigro as a 25-year-old male.
Arroyo’s partner in the vehicle suffered only minor injuries, though police initially said she was in critical condition. She is being treated for emotional shock, according to The Associated Press.
The incident is being investigated.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/fdny-emt-dead-critical-run-stolen-ambulance/story?id=46188795