Christmas Day Cab Crash - December 25, 2024

NEW YORK, NY — Christmas Day turned into a scene of chaos and emergency in Midtown Manhattan on Wednesday, December 25, 2024, when a yellow taxi cab jumped the curb in Herald Square, striking multiple pedestrians.

The incident occurred just after 4:00 p.m. at the corner of West 34th Street and Sixth Avenue, directly outside the iconic Macy's flagship store, an area traditionally bustling with tourists and holiday shoppers.

Incident Details:

• The Crash: The 58-year-old driver of a yellow taxi, reportedly traveling westbound on 34th Street, suddenly lost control of the vehicle. Preliminary reports from law enforcement sources suggest the driver may have suffered a medical episode before the taxi veered onto the sidewalk and slammed into the crowd.

• Victims: A total of six people were struck and injured. All victims were reported to have suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

  • Three people, including a 9-year-old boy visiting from Australia, were transported to local hospitals for serious but stable injuries. The boy suffered a laceration to his leg, and his mother, a 41-year-old woman, sustained a head injury.

  • The remaining three victims were treated for minor injuries and declined further medical attention at the scene.

• Bystander Heroism: Eyewitnesses recounted that several bystanders rushed to help the injured, including an off-duty tourist who reportedly helped lift the heavily damaged cab to free the trapped mother and son.

• Investigation: The driver was also taken to the hospital for evaluation. Police confirmed that there were no arrests made immediately following the incident as the investigation focused on the driver's medical condition as the primary cause of the crash.

The crash brought a swift response from the NYPD and EMS, disrupting holiday traffic and underscoring the dangers of vehicular accidents in New York City's high-pedestrian zones.