The man who authorities say stole an ambulance then ran over and killed anEMT Thursday night in the Bronx, now faces murder charges.
Jose Gonzalez, 25, of the Bronx, is charged with murder, grand larceny and operating a motor vehicle while impaired by drugs, the NYPD said this morning.
The EMT, Yadira Arroyo, 44, was a 14-year veteran of the Fire Department, from station 26. The mother of five was pronounced deadat Jacobi Medical Center after the 7 p.m. crime. Her partner was not seriously injured. Gonzalez was apprehended a short time after having pushed his way into Arroyo’s ambulance, where authorities say he drove the truck in reverse, running her over then dragging her a short distance. He struck at least three other vehicles, before driving forward again, dragging the fallen paramedic into the middle of the road and striking two more vehicles before getting stuck in a snowbank, Reuters reported. Gonzalez was described as an emotionally disturbed person, with a criminal history,the NYPD told ABC7. He was escorted by police from the 43rd Precinct in the Bronx early Friday morning, saying, “I’m innocent. I didn’t do nothing. I’m innocent,” according to ABC7. According to authorities, Arroyo was in the ambulance with her partner around 7 p.m. on Thursday, in the Soundview section of the Bronx. A passing motorist alerted them that a man was riding the bumper of the ambulance. The EMTs stopped the ambulance at White Plains Road and Watson Avenue in Morris Park. When Arroyo went around to confront the man, who authorities say is Gonzalez,he jumped into the driver’s seat, fought briefly with Arroyo’s partner, then took control of the vehicle. Gonzalez and Arroyo reportedly lived on the same block, according to reports.
#FDNY mourns the loss of FDNY EMT Yadira Arroyo, Station 26, who was killed in the line of duty tonight while serving our city. pic.twitter.com/b3KrzGabYE
— FDNY (@FDNY) March 17, 2017
