The dramatic moment Brooklyn neighbors rallied together to lift a minivan back onto its wheels after it flipped in a horrifying series of crashes has been captured on video. The incident occurred in Brownsville on Saturday when the vehicle, fleeing another accident scene, struck a 26-year-old woman and a 3-year-old girl in a crosswalk, causing panic among bystanders who rushed to help.
The sound of the crash was so intense that it “sounded like a bomb exploded,” according to one neighbor who spoke to ABC 7. The gathered crowd quickly sprang into action, with one man shouting, “C’mon, let’s go!” as around a dozen people worked together to push the overturned vehicle back onto its wheels, while others cheered on from the sidelines, shouting, “Push, push, push.
Their efforts were successful, and the trapped driver was eventually rescued. The man behind the wheel has been identified by police as Olubunmi Awoluyi, 61. Speaking to CBS, Eudus James, owner of both vehicles hit in the accident, recalled the frightening scene: “The car that hit was upside down and everybody came and was trying to, you know, turn it over.
James went on to describe the grisly scene, with the driver bleeding from his mouth, blood staining the road, and a bottle of cognac found lying on the pavement close to the crash site. Another witness, Shanique Fox, told CBS that a bottle of liquor fell out of the car when a firefighter opened the door.
Awoluyi had already been involved in another accident prior to this incident, police said. He is now facing charges for driving while intoxicated (DWI), reckless driving, and leaving the scene of an accident. Both the 26-year-old woman and 3-year-old girl who were struck in the crosswalk are expected to make a full recovery after being taken to the hospital.
