Matthew Murphy was taken into custody after he fled from the scene of a hit-and-run accident and plunged his car into the Gowanus Canal, officials said.
At around 11:15 a.m., Murphy made a left turn with his car onto Degraw Street from Court Street, but struck a Toyota and a 47-year-old woman in the process. The woman, who has not been identified, may have been putting her 1-year-old daughter into the car when Murphy struck their sedan and ran over her foot, police said. The mother and daughter were transported to New York Methodist Hospital where they were listed in stable condition.
Murphy proceeded to drive his car into the Gowanus Canal, which was four blocks away. Maurice Deas, an onlooker, rushed to help him. Murphy had opened his car door and Deas helped lift him out and away from the car. Murphy was unharmed.
“He was a little out of it,” Deas said. “He just kept saying he was an Iraqi War Veteran.
Police charged Murphy with leaving the scene of an accident and reckless endangerment.
The attorneys at Morgan Levine Dolan have recovered millions of dollars for those who have been injured in a car accident or any other type of incident involving motor vehicles. If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, please contact Jared Levine of Morgan Levine Dolan at 212-785-5115 today.
