A New York emergency medical technician and mother of five who authorities said was bravely doing her job was killed when she was run over by her own ambulance that had just been stolen.
Yadira Arroyo, 44, and another EMT were in the process of responding to a call Thursday night in the Bronx when they were alerted that a man was riding on the back bumper of their ambulance, Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro said.
Arroyo got out of the vehicle and then the man jumped in the ambulance and put it in reverse, striking her, she fell and got caught beneath the wheels, fire officials said.
Video posted on Twitter by a bystander shows the ambulance speeding across an intersection with one of its doors open, its lights flashing, and the body of one of the EMTs being dragged beneath the vehicle.
The other EMT was in the passenger seat of the ambulance as it was being stolen. She was being treated at a Bronx hospital for minor injuries, police said.
Jose Gonzalez, 25, of the Bronx, was arrested on charges of murder, grand larceny, and driving while impaired by drugs. There was no immediate information on an attorney who could comment on his behalf.
Arroyo was a 14-year fire department veteran.
(AP)
