Alyssa Elsman Of Michigan Killed In Horrific Times Square Crash

NEW YORK, NY — An 18-year-old woman from Michigan visiting New York City with her family was killed Thursday when an out-of-control car careened up a Times Square sidewalk Thursday, smashing into crowds of pedestrians before crashing, police and witnesses said. Twenty-two others were injured. Mayor Bill de Blasio said terrorism was not thought to have been involved.

Sources identified the young woman as Aylssa Elsman, of Portage, who was pronounced dead at the scene.. Her 13-year-old sister was among the injured and was taken to an area hospital for treatment, according to reports.

A police source said the driver, identified as Richard Rojas, 26, from The Bronx, tried to sprint from the wreckage of his car but was chased and arrested. Pictures obtained by TMZ show a man the outlet said was Rojas gesticulating wildly as he ran through the streets.

The New York Post said Elsman and her family were due to depart New York Thursday.

Trevor West, who had been dating Elsman for about six months, told The Post the teen was “everything to me.”

“She motivated me, loved me, gave me everything I needed that I couldn’t give myself. And now that she’s gone I don’t know how I’m going to fill that void,” West said. “I don’t know how I’m going to function without her ever again.”

According to her Facebook page, Elsman was a June 2016 graduate of Portage High School, and had worked as a car-hop at Sonic Drive-In.

Elsman is survived by her parents, Jyll and Thomas Elsman, along with her sister, Heavy.com reported.

For more on the story in New York, see Midtown Manhattan Patch.

Brendan Krisel (Patch National Staff) contributed to this report.

Photo courtesy Josh Silverman/Twitter