Police: Driver Plunged Car Into Gowanus Canal After Hit-And-Run
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A driver plunged his car into the frigid Gowanus Canal while allegedly trying to flee from police Monday.
As CBS2's Brian Conybeare reported, the wild scene happened just after a hit-and-run that involved a mother and child.
CBS2 exclusive video showed see a disoriented alleged hit-and-run driver escaping from his car -- right after he drove it into the frigid Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn.
"He was definitely out of it," said witness Maurice Deas.
Deas was on his way to work when he saw it all unfold at about 11:15 am.
"What caught my attention was a speeding car. He was going around like 70 to 80 miles an hour," Deas said. "And he flew right past me."
Deas and another Good Samaritan helped pull the driver to safety. But the man wound up being handcuffed by police and arrested for allegedly hitting a woman and her baby six blocks away at Court and De Graw streets in Carroll Gardens.
The victim was getting out of a parked car with her baby, when witnesses said the hit-and-run driver smashed into the car and pushed it onto the sidewalk. He then took off -- speeding down De Graw Street right into the Gowanus Canal, witnesses said.
"He stopped for maybe two seconds at most and then just kept going," said witness Cynthia Cabrera.
Cabrera was working in the Canine Corner dog day care when it happened.
"I ran outside," she said. "The baby had been hit by the bumper of the car."
Both victims are expected to recover, but the driver's late model Audi looks like a total loss.
Suspect Matthew Murphy, 35, was charged with reckless endangerment and leaving the scene of an accident.