Woman loses her leg after taxi jumps curb in NYC

NEW YORK A woman lost her leg and two other people were hurt after a taxi jumped a curb in Midtown Manhattan Tuesday morning, reports CBS New York.

Authorities said two pedestrians and a cyclist were struck when the cab jumped the curb near famed Radio City Music Hall.

The bicyclist, who did not want to give his name, said the cabbie was trying to turn from Sixth Avenue onto 49th Street, which set off a wild string of events.

"He didn't want to stop. I told him to stop, he got angry because I told him to stop so he deliberately accelerated his car," the bicyclist told WCBS 880's Jim Smith.

The bicyclist said he was hit and landed on the hood of the cab.

"He went through me, through the bike, through the lady and through the grass over there," the bicyclist said.

"I was on the roof of the car and I got thrown about 30 feet into the bushes. I get back up, the lady, she's unconscious with her leg cut off," he added.

A 23-year-old woman from England was rushed to Bellevue Hospital in critical condition. She had her leg severed below the knee, fire officials confirmed to WCBS Radio 880.

Witnesses said the woman who lost her leg was pinned under the cab. Good Samaritans brought ice and made a makeshift tourniquet to help the victims, Smith reported.

One man said he put the woman's severed leg in a cooler while they waited for medics, CBS 2's Andrea Grymes reported.

TV's Dr. Mehmet Oz, who was at the scene, said the action taken by bystanders saved the woman's life, 1010 WINS's Al Jones reported.

"While in a meeting in our offices near Rockefeller Center, I heard an accident occur on the street below," Dr. Oz said in a comment posted to his Facebook page. "A taxi driver lost control of his cab and collided with a woman, badly injuring her leg."