(CNN) An 18-year-old woman was killed and at least 22 people injured Thursday when a speeding car plowed into pedestrians in Manhattan's bustling Times Square, city officials said.

Police identified the woman as Alyssa Elsman, a resident of Portage, Michigan.

The driver of the 2009 Honda Accord -- Richard Rojas, 26, of the Bronx -- tested positive for PCP and told police that God made him do it, a law enforcement source told CNN.

The suspect, who suffered from "psychological issues," told police he expected officers to shoot him, according to the source.

Rojas has been arrested twice in New York -- in 2015 and 2008 -- for drunken driving, New York Police Commissioner James O'Neill said.

There is no indication the incident, which unfolded just before noon, was an act of terrorism, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio and other officials said. It is being investigated as an accident, a police official said. Charges against the driver are pending.

One of the hospitals treating the injured said four patients were in critical condition Thursday night. Two were in serious condition.

NYC Health + Hospitals Bellevue said it received 13 patients, 10 adults and three teenagers. The serious injuries included pelvic fractures, internal bleeding and head injuries.

Car was 'out of control'

Before striking pedestrians, the car was "out of control," an emergency management official said. Four people were critically injured but are expected to survive, officials said.

do not come to Times Square!!!! My colleagues and I are safe. A post shared by Ed G Val (@semiquasicelebritywannabe) on May 18, 2017 at 9:04am PDT

The speeding car jumped the sidewalk on the west side of 7th Avenue at 42nd Street and barreled into pedestrians for three blocks before crashing at the northwest corner of 45th Street, police said.

Witnesses described a harrowing scene that started with screeching tires and ended with screams, panic and a fiery crash at one of the world's most visited sites.

"A woman in front on the sidewalk was hit and tossed before then car reached 44th st, continued plowing people down at full speed up to 45th street, where it was stopped after crashing into more people and the light post," posted Instagram user Ed G Val, who from across the street "saw the car speeding north on the west sidewalk of southbound 7th Ave."

Harlem resident Tyezhane, 20, who would only give her first name, said she was walking to work at a shoe store when she saw the car on the sidewalk. She bolted across the street.

"There were a lot of people out, enjoying the good day, and then I heard screaming and the car running over bodies," she said. "I didn't know what was going on. At first, I thought someone was intentionally doing it. I was scared for my life."

Social media images show injured people on the street, a car upended at an angle and crowds gathered in the heart of the tourist hub.

'More of a surreal thing'

Elizabeth Long, of Dayton, Ohio, told CNN she was walking to the Hard Rock Cafe when she saw a maroon car heading toward her on the sidewalk. She heard screaming. Fearing the car would hit her, she ran to a nearby building's revolving door.

"I wasn't even all the way in when the car sped by," perhaps 10 feet behind her, said Long, a 54-year-old who was in town to see a musical.

Photos: Car hits pedestrians in Times Square A wrecked vehicle is on fire after hitting pedestrians in New York's Times Square on Thursday, May 18. The incident is being investigated as an accident, a New York police official said. The driver is in custody. Hide Caption 1 of 11 Photos: Car hits pedestrians in Times Square People attend to one of the victims. At least one person was killed and nearly two dozen were injured, officials said. Hide Caption 2 of 11 Photos: Car hits pedestrians in Times Square Before striking pedestrians, the car was "out of control," an emergency management official said. Witnesses on social media described a speeding car plowing into people before crashing to a halt. Hide Caption 3 of 11 Photos: Car hits pedestrians in Times Square Emergency workers surround the crash site. The motorist, 26-year-old Richard Rojas, has been arrested twice in the past for drunken driving, according to the New York police commissioner. Hide Caption 4 of 11 Photos: Car hits pedestrians in Times Square An injured person receives first aid. Hide Caption 5 of 11 Photos: Car hits pedestrians in Times Square An injured person lies at the scene. Hide Caption 6 of 11 Photos: Car hits pedestrians in Times Square The wrecked car leans at the intersection of 45th and Broadway. Hide Caption 7 of 11 Photos: Car hits pedestrians in Times Square A victim is attended to in this photo tweeted by the New York City Fire Department. Hide Caption 8 of 11 Photos: Car hits pedestrians in Times Square A victim receives medical attention. Hide Caption 9 of 11 Photos: Car hits pedestrians in Times Square There is no indication it was an act of terrorism, city leaders said. Hide Caption 10 of 11 Photos: Car hits pedestrians in Times Square Police work at the scene. Hide Caption 11 of 11

When Long went outside and looked in the direction the car had gone, she saw at least six people lying on the ground, including a woman lying face-down with blood pouring from her head.

"I'm shaken," said Long, who wasn't injured. "Two of the people I saw that were really hurt. People were beside them, ... we were trying to tell (police) they were hurt."

"I felt so bad ... standing there," not being able to do anything more to help, she said.

Annette Proehl, of Pennsylvania, was in Times Square with children on a field trip when she heard the screeching tires of the vehicle and people screaming. She watched the car slam into a steel divider and catch fire, she said.

Proehl was hit by a piece of gravel but otherwise was not injured, she said.

A wrecked car sits in the intersection of 45th and Broadway in Times Square.

"It was more of a surreal thing," she said. "We initially thought they were filming something."

Patsy Sciutto, who works in Times Square, said she was meeting someone for lunch when an announcement came over a loudspeaker that the building was on lockdown because of an incident outside.

Principal says victim was thoughtful, bright

Elsman was in New York with her sisters, mother and a friend, CNN affiliate WOOD reported

She graduated from Portage Central High School.

"Alyssa was a really thoughtful, really bright, very pleasant young lady. Every interaction I had with her was positive," school principal Eric Alburtus told the Grand Rapids station.

Among world's most popular spots

Officers there told her there was an "unknown speeding car," Sciutto said.

Within moments of the incident, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and de Blasio rushed to the scene. President Donald Trump, whose home at Trump Tower is one mile from the crash scene, was made aware of the incident almost immediately and given updates, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer tweeted.

#carcrash #timesquarenewyork A post shared by Stan The Man (@killakowal) on May 18, 2017 at 9:26am PDT

The sidewalks around Times Square are secured with more than 200 steel bollards intended to prevent accidental or criminal vehicle intrusions, said Rob Reiter, chief security consultant for CalPipe Security Bollards. The bollards are designed to stop vehicles going about 30 miles an hour, he said.

Times Square averaged about 360,000 daily visitors in April, according to a tally by the Times Square Alliance, making it one of the most visited locations in the world.</s>An 18-year-old woman was killed and 22 people were injured as a car drove into pedestrians in Times Square on Thursday. Andrew Siff reports.

What to Know A car slammed into a crowd of pedestrians in the heart of Times Square shortly before noon Thursday

Officials don't believe there's a nexus to terror; sources say the suspect has a history of possible psychiatric, drug and alcohol problems

One woman died and 22 other people were injured after being hit by the vehicle; the driver was taken into custody

An 18-year-old woman died and nearly two dozen people were hurt when a wrong-way driver slammed into a crowd of pedestrians in Times Square Thursday, authorities said.

The woman has been identified as Alyssa Elsman from Portage, Michigan.

The driver, 26-year-old Richard Rojas of the Bronx, was taken into custody after barreling into the lunch-hour crowd on Seventh Avenue shortly before noon, according to police. Officials and sources say Rojas, a former member of the Armed Forces with a history of DWI arrests, made a U-turn on Seventh Avenue at 42nd Street and started speeding down the sidewalk, mowing down pedestrians for three and a half blocks before crashing into a traffic pole.

In Pictures: Car Slams into Crowd in Times Square

A cause of the crash is under investigation, but authorities say it's believed to be an "isolated incident" with no nexus to terror. Law enforcement sources say Rojas told police he heard voices. They said he has a history of possible psychiatric, drug and alcohol problems, and investigators are looking into whether or not Thursday's crash may have been a deliberate act.

Law enforcement sources say Rojas appeared to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol when he was taken into custody. Sources say he blew a 0.0 when tested for alcohol at the precinct he was brought to for questioning. A law enforcement official said certain statements and tests suggest he was under the influence of something he ingested through smoking.

In one of his two previous DWI arrests, Rojas was driving faster than 99 mph in a 50 mph zone, sources familiar with his record say. He resisted officers while being arrested for DUI in Florida, resulting in a dishonorable discharge from the Navy, law enforcement sources said. He was most recently arrested last week in the Bronx on a charge of menacing. After the crash Thursday, he allegedly tried to flee cops, then tried to physically fight them, as they brought him into custody.

Police charged Rojas with a slew of charges, including second-degree murder, 20 counts of second-degree attempted murder and five counts of aggravated vehicular homicide, authorities said.



Watch Live This Is What It Looks Like in Times Square Right Now

Mayor de Blasio said in a briefing at the scene that a total of 23 people, including the woman who died and her 13-year-old sister, were hit by the vehicle. Four of the survivors were taken to hospitals in critical condition. Many had traumatic injuries, including open fractures, officials said at a news briefing, adding those four victims were expected to live. It's not clear if the dead woman's sister was among the critically injured victims.



Major Emergency Response in Times Square After Car Apparently Jumps Curb

Video shows authorities responding to an incident involving a car in Times Square. (Published Thursday, May 18, 2017)

Social media erupted with fear and concern as witnesses described screaming and abject chaos in the Crossroads of the World. Someone tweeted a photo of a maroon-looking sedan halfway on its side after appearing to crash into a traffic pole. Smoke emanated from the hood as pedestrians stood by in horror.

Police radio captured the urgency of the response.

"Times Square, we got a car running people over on 42-7, going northbound on 7th ave, running people over," one NYPD dispatcher said, according to audio clips from Broadcastify. "Multiple people injured. Notify everyone."

Top News Photos: Hong Kong Protestors Calls on US for Help

Witnesses said the vehicle was speeding -- one said up to 80 mph -- at the time of the crash. Many said it came out of nowhere.

Some people were sobbing, others were simply stunned by what they witnessed.

"I saw a woman flying through the air," Julio Sanchez Rivera, of Queens, said. "Just instinct that got me to duck inside that door and get out of the way."

Kristen Boyce said she was seconds away from being hit; now she can't get the sound of it mowing down victims out of her head.

"I was in shock, I was screaming," she said. "No one even saw it coming.""All of a sudden I heard this boom and a car is barreling down Seventh Avenue hitting people, just, 'Boom! Boom!' And everyone just starts running," Boyce added. "We start running, we don't know if another one is going to come, we don’t know what's happening, everyone is panicking."

Live traffic cameras showed a gigantic emergency response in the area; at least five fire trucks cordoned off the intersection immediately near the scene and a line of police cruises, alarms and lights blaring, blocked off traffic near the TKTS booth. The city later announced a series of road closures; it wasn't clear how long they'd be in effect. Nearby subway entrances and exits were also closed.

Gov. Cuomo had been about 15 blocks away at a separate event at the time of the crash and hurried to the scene. He released a statement Thursday afternoon calling the crash "nothing short of horrific."

"I was briefed at the scene by Commissioner O'Neill and saw firsthand the professionalism and diligence of New York’s first responders," Cuomo said in a statement. "As facts continue to emerge, my heart goes out to the victims of this terrible tragedy, as well as their families."

</s>Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Watch: How the incident unfolded

A woman is dead and 22 other people injured after a car sped on to a pavement in New York City's Times Square, the fire department says.

The 26-year-old driver, a US Navy veteran and US citizen, is in custody.

"There is no indication that this was an act of terrorism," said New York Mayor Bill de Blasio.

The maroon Honda jumped the kerb and travelled for three blocks before crashing.

Photos showed the sedan partially on its side on the pavement with smoke and flames spewing from the bonnet.

As-it-happened: Times Square emergency

In pictures: Times Square car crash

The crash follows recent deadly car-ramming attacks in London, Berlin, France, Israel and Sweden.

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Footage shows a man being arrested near to the crashed red car

Image copyright Reuters Image caption Police identify the driver as Bronx resident Richard Rojas

The FBI is investigating the incident at the Midtown Manhattan tourist venue, but so far officials say there is no terror link.

NYPD said the suspect, Richard Rojas, is a Bronx resident who was arrested in 2008 and 2015 for drunk driving.

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio: "There is no indication that this was an act of terrorism"

Police believe the suspect was reportedly was high on synthetic marijuana, known as K2, ABC News reported, citing law enforcement sources.

Initial tests reportedly came back negative for alcohol but positive for drugs.

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Footage from the scene shows the injured being tended to by emergency crews

"It is believed to be an isolated incident, it remains under investigation," the New York Police Department said on Twitter.

City authorities said they would nevertheless deploy extra police from anti-terror units to key locations around the city as a precaution.

The vehicle jumped the kerb at 45th Street and Broadway at 1155 local time (1655 GMT) and drove at high speed before crashing into a pole.

Image copyright EPA

Witness Annie Donahey, 24, told the New York Times: "It was going at a fast rate of speed and to me it looked it was trying to hit as many people as possible.

"People were trying to jump out of the way."

Image copyright EPA

Photos from the scene showed casualties strewn across the walkway.

One person was covered with a white cloth.

Among those hurt, four were in critical condition and three sustained serious injuries, according to the fire department.

The department said 15 other victims suffered less serious injuries.

Image copyright EPA

Police said an 18-year-old woman died and her 13-year-old sister was among the injured.

"People were being hit and rolling off the car," said witness Josh Duboff, who jumped out of the way to avoid being struck.

Twitter user Michael Rickerby wrote: "just witnessed a car running people over in times square. scariest moment of my life. what is wrong with some people?!"

Image copyright EPA

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said in a statement the event was "nothing short of horrific".

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said President Donald Trump had been informed about the incident.

Image copyright Reuters

Image copyright Reuters

Times Square was the target of an attempted attack in May 2010 when a Pakistani immigrant planted a car bomb at an intersection.

The device failed to detonate and he was arrested shortly after boarding a flight to the Middle East.

Did you witness what happened in Times Square? If it is safe to do so let us know about your experiences. Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your stories.

Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways:</s>A car hit pedestrians in Times Square on Thursday, killing one person and injuring 22 others.</s>In this image made from video provided by Oscar Navarro Reyes, Richard Rojas is arrested after a fatal automobile accident on New York City's Times Square, Thursday. Authorities and witnesses said Rojas drove his car the wrong way up a Times Square street and plowed into pedestrians on the sidewalk. (Oscar Navarro Reyes via AP)</s>The New York City Fire Department told CNN it is working a vehicle incident in Times Square and social media images of the scene show pedestrians injured.

At least 10 people were injured after a vehicle struck pedestrians in New York City's Times Square, Reuters reported.

Multiple outlets are reporting one person has died.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.</s>A speeding vehicle struck pedestrians on a sidewalk in New York City’s Times Square on Thursday.

The New York Police Department closed off the area.

Thirteen people were being treated for injuries after the collision at the Midtown Manhattan tourist site, the New York City Fire Department said on twitter.

A witness told Reuters the vehicle had driven against the traffic and on to the sidewalk, striking pedestrians.</s>Police in New York City are on alert after a car ran down multiple pedestrians in Times Square before finally overturning:

A spokesperson from the New York Police Department told us that details are thin, but they were able to confirm that a car did strike several pedestrians.

According to reports, one person has been killed. At least ten people are being treated for injuries.</s>At least one person died in the incident, Reuters reported. The agency cited witnesses as saying that the car drove against traffic onto the sidewalk striking pedestrians.

CBS reported that at least 20 have been injured, while Reuters report suggests 13 have been wounded.

The vehicle that hit pedestrians in the Times Square was a red sedan, CBS New York reported.

It is unclear yet whether the car drove into pedestrians accidentally or not. Media reports suggested that the driver of the car is in custody and being questioned.

"Preliminarily it looks more like a vehicle accident than anything else," a NYPD spokesman told AFP.

Meanwhile, a witness told Reuters that the driver's actions appear "intentional."

New York Police Department (NYPD) has closed off an area of New York City's Times Square after a car rammed into pedestrians on the sidewalk, injuring at least ten and killing at least one, police's spokesperson told Sputnik on Thursday.

"NYPD has closed off the area [of Times Square]," the spokesperson said.

The incident took place at some 12 p.m. local time (16:00 GMT).</s>A car has rammed into pedestrians in New York City's busy Times Square, with one person dead and up to 20 injured.

Witnesses claimed a maroon sedan drove at pedestrians, knocking them over in the busy tourist hub at the intersection of 45th street and Broadway.

Witnesses said the vehicle drove against traffic and on to the sidewalk about noon after entering the district at 42nd Street before driving north.

The New York Fire Department confirmed one person had died and 19 people were injured.

Authorities have said described the incident as "isolated" and not terrorism-related.

Live: Horror in New York's Times Square as car rams into pedestrians 'killing one and injuring 20'

Photos from the scene have shown injured people on pedestrian crossings and the sidewalk being treated by authorities and bystanders.

The vehicle is said to have crashed into a pole or bollard before being attended to be firefighters.

The driver is said to have punched a police officer as he attempted to flee before being arrested, ABC News said.

The driver appeared to be drunk or on drugs, the New York Times reported quoting a law enforcement official, adding the man had a history of DWI arrests.

The NYPD closed off the area as the FBI moved in to investigate the incident.

The NYPD tweeted: "One male in custody in the Times Square vehicle collision.

"It is believed to be an isolated incident, it remains under investigation."

Hundreds of thousands of people, many of them tourists from around the world, pass daily through the bustling commercial area, the heart of the Broadway theatre district.

Annie Donahey tweeted: "A car just purposely sped onto the sidewalk in Times Square trying to hit people.

"The girl who was walking next to me died."

"If I would have waited to cross the street I'd probably be dead right now.

"This didn't look like an accident.

"The driver was steering into people.

"At least one girl was dead on impact.

"Lots of people on the ground covered in blood."

Shoes were scattered at the scene.

“People were being hit and rolling off the car,” said Josh Duboff.

Kelly Graves said she heard the crash and saw people running.

"We saw people laying on the sidewalk," she said.

"There were groups of people surrounding the injured trying to help them."

President Donald Trump "has been made aware of the situation in Times Square and will continue to receive updates", his spokesman Sean Spicer said.

Times Square was in lockdown with traffic blocked off at least one block surrounding it.

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An automobile crashes into pedestrians in New York City's Times Square, killing one person and injuring several others. Police are investigating the incident as an accident.