Brooklyn hit-and-run days before Mother's Day leaves mother dead, daughter injured
NEW YORK -- A hit-and-run driver in Brooklyn killed a woman and critically injured her daughter days before Mother's Day.
Detectives said the driver got out of the car and ran after crashing into 71-year-old Juanita Vidal and her 44-year-old daughter, who were crossing Elder Street near Knickerbocker Avenue in Bushwick, on Thursday evening.
Driver was fleeing traffic stop, NYPD says
Moments before the fatal crash, surveillance video shows a blue Mazda apparently speeding through a 4-way intersection, followed by an NYPD car.
Investigators said officers were trying to pull over the driver for a traffic infraction, but they took off. NYPD did not say what the infraction was.
Police said the driver swerved to avoid another car, before crashing into the mother and daughter and a van parked on the street.
"Boom! Like an explosion," said Sandra Villaman, who saw the crash. "It was very fast when the police was chasing them. This vehicle was very fast."
Rodrigo Gonzalez ran outside when he heard the car crash into his van.
"I came out and I saw that my van was pressed up against the tree, and I just ran over here. And when I ran over here, the ladies were on the floor," said Gonzalez. "It's a shock. It leaves you speechless."
First responders rushed the women to the hospital, where Vidal died.
"I'm still in shock," said Vidal's son-in-law Juan Fernandez, who told CBS New York he's grateful his wife survived, but devastated he lost his mother-in-law. "I just had to break the news to my wife because she's not doing well. So it was kind of hard for me."
Fernandez's wife suffered seven broken ribs and injured her lungs in the crash. She will likely be in the hospital for a few more days.
Neighborhood mourns death of beloved woman
Vidal lived in the neighborhood for over 40 years. Her loved ones said she and her daughter were walking to a dollar store to buy decorations for her grandson's birthday party when they were hit.
"A person who is reckless like that, anyone could have been hit at that intersection," said Fernandez.
"It's very sad what happened. I'm still in shock because I literally just seen her a day ago," said Andrea Harris, Vidal's neighbor. "Very loving family, always with the grandchildren, with the kids. So it's really sad."
A makeshift memorial was growing next to debris from the crash at the intersection.
"To lost a mother, that's one thing, and then it's another thing to lose a mother over Mother's Day weekend," said Tanya Rosa.
The driver was still on the run, police said Friday.
Anyone with any information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). You can also submit a tip via their website or via DM on Twitter, @NYPDTips. All calls are kept confidential.
