The woman who was pinned under a food truck when a driver fleeing police plowed into pedestrians in midtown Manhattan early on New Year's Day has been identified as an actor and stuntwoman who has appeared in films such as “Black Panther” and “The Color Purple."
Actor and stunt performer Carrie Bernans suffered broken bones and chipped teeth and is in a great deal of pain following the crash near Penn Station on Monday, her mother posted to Instagram.
"Please keep Carrie in your thoughts and prayers," her mother Patricia Lee wrote in a post shared to Carrie's Instagram on Jan. 1 alongside photos of her injuries. "She's in so much pain but healing. She was involved in a traumatic incident in NYC where a man, early 40s was trying to escape a hit and run and ran into multiple cars before hitting a food stand that her friend & her were walking near. It ended up knocking her unconscious and pended her under the stand. She was under it unaware of what was happening."
Bernans' publicist did not immediately return a message left Tuesday seeking comment.
Police officers responded to the area of 33rd Street and 6th Avenue after a report of physical assault by the 44-year-old male driver of a black Mercedes against his 34-year-old female passenger, according to NBC New York.
"Officers on foot attempted to de-escalate the situation and ordered the male operator of the vehicle to put the vehicle into park. The male failed to obey the officers' orders and fled westbound on 33rd Street before making a right turn onto 7th Avenue counter flow to traffic," police said in a statement.
"The Mercedes then turned onto westbound West 34th Street, where he mounted the sidewalk and began traveling westbound. The male then struck a food cart and two 39-year-old female pedestrians, a 31-year-old female pedestrian, and a 29-year-old female pedestrian."
U.S. & World
The driver "again" mounted a curb onto a sidewalk before striking two unoccupied parked vehicles, and a third vehicle in the road, injuring two officers and the passenger in the Mercedes.
None of the injuries were life-threatening, police said. The driver was arrested on charges including attempted murder, reckless endangerment and driving while intoxicated.
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The crash happened about a dozen blocks south of Times Square, where thousands of revelers had just celebrated the start of the New Year.
Bernans, 29, had an uncredited role as a member of the Dora Milaje fighting force in “Black Panther” and performed stunts in the musical version of “The Color Purple” released last month. She is the mother of a young son, and her mother posted that the child was not with her when she was injured.
The Associated Press, NBC New York and E! Online contributed to this report.
