Father Of Teen Tourist Killed By Crazed Driver Returns To Times Square
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NEW YORK (CBSMiami) – The father of a teenage tourist who was run down by a driver in Times Square returned to the scene of that tragedy on Saturday, where a memorial has been set up.
18-year-old Alyssa Elsman loved to travel and laugh.
She died while walking through New York's Times Square, struck by a crazed driver.
"This is something beyond anything I could ever imagine," said Thomas Elsman, Alyssa's father. "My daughter came here for vacation and now I'm going to bury her."
Elsman opened up about the loss of his daughter Alyssa. Another daughter, 13-year-old Ava, is recovering after being hit by the same car.
"It's just an empty, hollow feeling," he said.
On Thursday the driver of a maroon Honda barreled into a crowd along 42nd Street, and then accelerated, killing Alyssa, before coming to a crashing halt.
"They have a whole memorial for her down there. Beautiful, beautiful thing," said Elsman.
On Friday prosecutors charged 26-year-old Richard Rojas, with murder, aggravated vehicular homicide and 20 counts of attempted murder.
The navy veteran told police he was high on pcp, and wanted to kill everyone in his path.
Meanwhile, as Elsman prepares to lay his daughter to rest, he says he is grateful for the kindness and support his family has received in New York.
"The NYPD -- the absolute, greatest guys in the world," he said. "They've taken care of our family, they went and got pizzas for us. They've given all the kids, you know family... they give 'em hats."
The driver who struck his daughter is a New Yorker, but, for Thomas Elsman, the city of New York is defined by the many people who have shown his family support.
"You go to down to Times Square and that big concrete is all signed... 'I love you' and -- It doesn't bring her back but it's nice to see the outpouring of this -- you know, New York's not the town of jerks and things that people think it is. It's a town that has a big heart," Elsman said.