Arrest of Lunatic Driver on Jan. 1 Who Seriously Injures Actress, 2 NYPD officers, 1 FDNY & 5 others
A driver was arrested after he fled police driving the wrong way down Seventh Ave. and on pedestrian walkways on West 34th St. in the early hours of New Year’s Day, crashing into cars and injuring nine people including two NYPD officers. One of most seriously injured victims, Carrie Bernans, an actress and young mother was pinned under a food truck struck by the suspect. The suspect faces attempted murder charges, among other charges.
Only 90 minutes after the ball dropped on New Year’s Eve, a lunatic driver injured nine people including an actress, two NYPD officers, a firefighter, an EMT worker and pedestrians that included two nurses while fleeing cops in black Mercedes after they spotted him attempting to strangle a female companion in his car near Herald Sq.
When the suspect, later indentified as 44 year-old Mohamed Alaouie, was finally captured after a four block car chase through streets and sidewalks packed with New Year’s Eve revelers, he was discovered to have 19 vials of cocaine in his possession. He is facing a slew of charges including attempted murder. His female companion, who managed to jump from the vehicle near Eighth Ave., said the two had been drinking earlier that evening . Driving while intoxicated is among the more than 30 felony counts that prosecutors said Alaouie is facing following his arraigment on Jan. 6.
Carrie Bernans, an actress and young mother who was among the most seriously injured of the nine people struck by the hit-and-run driver faces a long road to recovery. Bernans has had roles in “The Color Purple” and both “Black Panther” movies and has an eight month old son. She was knocked unconscious and pinned under a food truck while walking with a friend who was also injured after the suspsect attempted to make his getaway by driving on a pedestrian walkway on W. 34th St. between Seventh and Eighth Avenues.
She suffered several broken bones and chipped teeth and was left unable to walk or breast feed her eight month old son due to the medications she is taking as she slowly recovers, according to a Go Fund Me page set up to help with her medical care, rehabilitation dental bills, groceries and child care.
The Go Fund Me page has raised $51,503 for Bernans as of Jan. 7.
The incident started when police said they were informed of an assault in progress inside a black Mercedes when they spotted the suspect with his arm around the neck of a female companion in the vicinity of 33rd St. and Sixth Ave. Police on foot approached the 44-year-old suspect and ordered him to roll down the window. He did and said to the officer, “F*** you,” according to prosecutors. When he was instructed to put the car in park, prosecutors said he responded, “F*** that shit.” He instead fled, first driving west 33rd St. and then turning right and proceeding the wrong way heading north on Seventh Ave. for one block before turning onto on a pedestrian walkway on W. 34th, where he hit his second victim.
Victims 3 and 4 included Carrie Bernans and her friend Katherine when his car struck a food cart around 213 W. 34th St which toppled onto Bernans and her friend, knocking Bernans unconscious. At one point he drove through construction scaffolding, before hitting a car, causing its passenger to suffer neck and back injuries. He collided with another car, injuring two occupants and then crashed into a food shed of Chirp restaurant on 369 W. 34th. St. But he kept going.
At one point near Eighth Ave. as Alaouie was stalled in traffic, his female companion managed to get out.
Where the car mounted the curb onto the sidewalk again after passing Eighth Avenue, he struck two on-duty NYPD police officers before hitting two unoccupied parked vehicles. Police were finally able to collar the suspect when he crashed his Mercedes into a 2022 Toyota Camry heading toward him on West 34th St. The two officers who were hit were transported to an area hospital in stable condition. The 34-year-old female passenger in the the Mercedes was transported to NYC Health and Hospitals/Bellevue as was Bernans.
Alaouie faces over 30 counts including attempted murder, assault, reckless endangerment, criminal possession of a controlled substance, leaving the scene of an accident and driving while intoxicated, prosecutors said.
Cops said he also tried to use an animal in his car to attack officers.
Bernans, wrote on her Go Fund Me Page, “I have a few broken bones, chipped teeth, but thanking God that I am alive.” Bernans is originally from Memphis where the mayor had recently proclaimed Dec. 18th as “Carrie Bernans Day” for her philanthropic work sponsoring her sixth annual Christmas toy drive in early December.
In her Go Fund Me note she also said: “Thank you to first responders, police, strangers, my friend Katherine, my mommy & her hubby, sis, friends” who helped me. She added, “My son was not there. He was safe in a warm hotel room with family.”
Alaouie, who was from Fort Lee, NJ, was free on bail set at $100,000 cash / $150,000 insurance company bond. He’s due back in court on Jan. 29. Calls to his legal aid attorney. James McQueeney were not returned by presstime.