An out-of-control vehicle veered onto a sidewalk on Staten Island and hit two women, killing one of them Monday afternoon, police say.
The 23-year-old driver of the Honda Accord was going southbound on Hylan Boulevard when he went up on the sidewalk at Cleveland Avenue, hitting two cousins, a 31-year-old woman and a 22-year-old woman, according to police.
Witness Christina Angelis said she heard a woman scream and heard the car crash. Police officers happened to be passing by the boulevard the moment it happened, and they rushed out of their car.
"My son ran out before me and he saw them trying to do CPR," she said. "They really, they tried so hard to revive her."
Both victims were taken to Staten Island University North Hospital, where the 31-year-old woman, identified as Christal Aliotta of Staten Island, was pronounced dead, police said.
Her cousin had minor injuries was in stable condition, according to police.
The driver of the Honda, 23-year-old Michael Fox, was taken into custody at the scene and charged with aggravated unlicensed operator offenses, criminal possession of a controlled substance, possession of a hypodermic instrument and criminal use of drug paraphernalia. He allegedly has a suspended license.
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Neighbors on Hylan Avenue say there have been multiple accidents at the intersection.
"You don't understand how many accidents I've seen but this is the first time someone died, and it breaks my heart," said Norma Phillips. "And the fact of the matter is, two minutes before, I walked home. I could have been that person."
Angelis said she wants the city to install barricades on the sidewalks.
"Something has to be done to prevent this from happening again," she said.
-- Ida Siegal contributed to this report.
