by Donald Wood
Last updated: 12:15 AM ET, Fri May 19, 2017
CBS News reports that one person is dead and at least 19 others are injured after a red Honda sedan drove into pedestrians in Times Square before noon Thursday.
Reports stated the vehicle was seen speeding before it jumped a curb in Times Square and struck a crowd.
Officials from the New York Police Department believe the incident was not terrorism-related but instead have arrested a 26-year-old man believed to be the driver of the vehicle on suspicion of driving under the influence. The man had two prior arrests for driving while intoxicated.
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Authorities questioned the suspect and tested him for drugs and alcohol.
The woman killed in the incident Thursday has been identified as Alyssa Elsman, an 18-year-old tourist from Portage, Michigan. She had recently posted on social media from the top of Times Square's famous Red Stairs, and her sister was also injured in the event.
The driver has also been identified as Richard Rojas, 26, from the Bronx, New York. After the crash, Rojas tested positive for PCP and told police that "God made me do it."
Rojas had already been arrested twice for drunken driving and has a history of psychological issues. It is suspected that he was planning "suicide by cop", and he has been charged with one count of second-degree murder.
Images from Twitter showed a car smoking from the engine on the sidewalk, and a video released showed emergency crews rushing to the scene:
White House press secretary Sean Spicer revealed that President Donald Trump was briefed on the situation. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio also visited the scene.
Times Square is a major tourist attraction for New York City, with more than 300,000 pedestrians visiting the area each day. In 2016, an all-time record 60.3 million visitors arrived in New York City, including 47.6 million domestic visitors and 12.65 million international visitors.
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