WILLIAMSBRIDGE, Bronx, NYC -
A tragic road accident killed a 37-year-old transport driver while she was unloading special-needs passengers from her van Wednesday, police say.
The victim's own vehicle rolled over her at Carpenter Avenue and East 229th Street -- crushing her head and upper body under a wheel. Police initially described the accident as a hit-and-run, but after an investigation they said the van had been switched out of gear and rolled over the victim.
Police say she walked around to the driver side of the vehicle to reposition it. She placed it in reverse and fell out, became trapped under the front wheel and was crushed.
She was taken to Montefiore Medical Center with severe trauma and pronounced dead.
The victim, Irene Espinal-Jiminian, worked for the Institutes of Applied Human Dynamics. She was a mother of two.
"We are very saddened to learn of the death of a cherished member of the IAHD family," said Brenda Rodriguez, a company spokesperson. "This is a terrible tragedy, and our heartfelt condolences go out to Ms. Espinal's family."
========================= Ambulette worker killed after van rolls over her in the Bronx
Wednesday, August 09, 2017 05:38PM
WILLIAMSBRIDGE, Bronx (WABC) -- An ambulette worker was killed after she was run over by her own van while unloading passengers in the Bronx Wednesday.
Officials said a car driving on East 229th Street in the Williamsbridge section struck 37-year-old Irene Espinal's van, causing it to roll over and land on top of her.
Neighbors came running to the scene after hearing the startling noise of the crash, and they frantically tried to save the woman pinned under the van.
"Her neck and her shoulder, they were cut with their wheel, so i guess it cut her respiration," witness Maureen Cani said.
Another witness, Bryanna Glassford, heard the screams, ran outside and called 911.
"She was breathing when I came outside, but five minutes into the conversation she stopped," Glassford said.
They said they could not pull Espinal out from under the vehicle because she was under the wheel.
Espinal was pronounced dead at the scene. She worked for IAHD and was in the process of bringing a resident of a group home to an appointment at Montefiore Medical Center when the crash happened.
"We are devastated to learn of the death of a cherished employee of IAHD," said Kerry Brady, director of residential services at IAHD. "This is a terrible tragedy and our heartfelt condolences go out to Irene's family. We are working closely with police as we await the results of their investigation."
Espinal started working for the company earlier this year.
Police said the driver of the vehicle that struck the ambulette fled the scene after the crash. They're now looking for the driver and vehicle involved.
No passengers in the ambulette were injured.