A woman was struck and killed by a wrong way driver Thursday morning in Manhattan, according to the New York City Police Department.
The crash happened at around 8:30 a.m. at the intersection of Morton Street and Seventh Avenue in Greenwich Village.
Driver turned the wrong way out of parking garage, police say
The driver of a GMC van appears to have turned out of a parking garage and started driving the wrong way on Morton Street, police say, to turn onto Seventh Avenue.
Police said a 27-year-old woman was in a crosswalk near the garage’s exit and was struck.
A man who works in the parking garage, which houses a vehicle rental company, said he called 911.
“I heard a lot of commotion afterwards,” he said. “I looked outside, I saw somebody on the ground, and they were already giving her CPR.”
The victim was taken to a local hospital, where she died. Her name has not yet been released, but police said she was originally from Massachusetts and was living in New York City, where she worked in finance.
Police said the 61-year-old driver remained on the scene. At this point, no charges have been filed against him.
Neighbors say wrong way drivers are common on street
A man who said he’s worked in the neighborhood for decades told CBS News New York’s Alice Gainer this isn’t the first time he’s seen drivers traveling the wrong way on Morton Street.
“A lot of the times, many times, cars come down Morton Street and they make a left onto Seventh Avenue, especially if there’s no traffic,” said Philip Mortillaro. “I’m here 45 years. If I tell you how many cars come up Seventh Avenue the wrong way coming out of Morton Street, it’s a lot.”
He believes there should be more signage letting people know the street is one way.
“The way everything is curved, it looks like you could pull out either way. It’s right on the corner,” he said.
contributed to this report.
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