A young mother has tragically died after an enraged driver allegedly rammed his vehicle into her family in the parking lot of a 7-Eleven in Haverstraw, New York, multiple outlets have reported.
Just before 2 p.m. on Wednesday, police claim a man with Texas license plates purposely drove his car into two adults and six children, one of which was an infant in a stroller, CBS New York reported.
After hitting the family once, the driver allegedly struck them again by backing over them, CBS New York reported.
The father, 35, and a 2-year-old child were taken to Westchester Medical Center for critical injuries, ABC 7 reported. The other children, ranging in ages one to 10 years old, were also hospitalized, but their injuries are not deemed life-threatening.
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Police identified the alleged driver as Jason Mendez, 35, of Washingtonville, New York, according to ABC 7.
He has been charged with second-degree murder, along with seven counts of attempted murder. PEOPLE were not able to immediately locate a lawyer for Mendez.
A 7-Eleven employee told ABC 7 that the incident occurred after the father and the driver got into an argument.
Several witnesses explained to NBC New York that the father had asked the driver to not “blow smoke in my children’s face.”
After arriving on the scene, officers found a disfigured stroller and the driver, who was holding a knife, police said at a news conference, NBC New York reported.
The driver allegedly refused to drop the weapon, prompting police to tase him and arrest him, officers said during the news conference.
“It appears to be, certainly, a tragedy here today,” Captain Martin Lund with the Haverstraw Police Department said, according to ABC 7.
“It’s early in our investigation, and we’re hoping for the best for all involved.”
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