Yadira Arroyo, a 44-year-old mother of five and an emergency medical technician in New York, was run over by her own ambulance after it was stolen on Thursday night. She was a 14-year fire department veteran, CBS reports.
While responding to a call in the Bronx, Arroyo and another EMT in the ambulance with her realized someone was riding on the bumper of their vehicle, CBS reports. When they stopped to check out the situation, the man riding on the bumper ran around to the front and got into the driver’s seat.
With the other EMT still in the passenger seat of the vehicle, the man reversed the ambulance, hitting Arroyo. This caused her to fall and get stuck underneath the wheels, CBS reports.
A bystander, 20-year-old Justin Lopez, was able to capture the incident on his camera, posting footage to Twitter that showed the ambulance dragging Arroyo. The ambulance continued on to crash into parked cars and ended up stuck in a snow bank. At this point, a Metropolitan Transportation Authority K-9 officer, with help from a bystander, was able to subdue the suspect.
Mayor Bill de Blasio extended a thank you to the “good Samaritans who helped apprehend the perpetrator.” He added, “A lot of heroism was on display amidst a great tragedy.”
The 30-year-old EMT who was in the vehicle with the man has been treated for minor injuries in a Brox hospital. Nigro says the two EMTs were “acting very bravely” in dealing with the situation.
Mayor de Blasio said, “We know our EMTs are brave. They do crucial work — they save lives — but they should not ever have to be subjected to violence. And yet, that danger always exists for them.”
The man who hijacked the ambulance has been arrested and identified as 25-year-old Jose Gonzales, CNN reports. Police have charged him with three counts of murder, grand larceny and operating a motor vehicle while impaired by drugs. CBS New York reports that in the past, he has already been arrested ten times for misdemeanors. He will be facing a judge on Friday.