Police are investigating after an NYPD traffic agent was allegedly hit by a car and attacked by a driver who apparently became angry when she wouldn't allow him to make a right turn onto a midtown street.
The 61-year-old agent was directing traffic at East 37th Street and Lexington Avenue late Thursday afternoon when a man in a black four-door sedan tried to make a right turn onto East 37th Street, police said.
When the agent told him no, he continued on and hit her with the car, according to police. He had nowhere to go amid the traffic, and the agent went to confront him.
That's when the driver got out of his car and kicked her, police said. Cellphone video from the scene shows passersby rushing to help the agent, asking if she was all right.
"My leg is hurting, but I just don't want him to go," she's overheard telling people. "He threatened to kill me, I don't know if he has a gun."
A witness later told NBC 4 New York, "I don't know if he was angry -- the job or the day -- this gentleman, you could see he was like really angry and frustrated, so he took it out on her and took it out on all of us."
Witnesses screamed at the driver and as officers arrive, the bystanders get so worked up they need to be held back, video shows. But even though the driver is surrounded by multiple officers and bystanders, he flees the scene.
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About two hours later, at around 6:30 p.m., NYPD officers spotted a car matching the suspect's vehicle and took him into custody.
He was being held at the 17th Precinct stationhouse, police said.
Traffic in midtown has been gridlocked this week for the General Assembly taking place at the United Nations at First Avenue and 42nd Street, and agents have been out helping to direct traffic away from closed streets.
