Richard Rojas, who allegedly struck a group of pedestrians with his vehicle in Manhattan's Times Square on Thursday, has been arrested and charged with murder, 20 counts of attempted murder and five counts of aggravated vehicular homicide, according to a press release from the New York City Police Department.
At least one person died, the New York Fire Department confirmed.
Police identified the woman as Alyssa Elsman, a resident of Portage, Michigan.
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 told CNN.
The incident, which was reported around 12 p.m., did not appear to be related to terrorism, authorities said.
About the Author
