Around 12 people got injured in New York City's Manhattan after a man driving a stolen SUV  ploughed into a crowd near the Grand Central Station in Manhattan. The incident took place at Lexington Avenue and East 42nd Street at around 5:30 pm, reported news agency IANS. A man who fled from the police in Manhattan was driving a stolen vehicle on Tuesday when he ploughed into three cars and several pedestrians during a wild chase. Following these crashes, locals present at the spot tackled the suspect to the ground, reported The New York Post. All injured were taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.


Patrol Borough Manhattan South Deputy Chief James Kehoe while addressing a press conference said that with police car lights flashing, the man initially “started to pull over” but then pumped the gas.


Kehoe added that the officers continued to pursue the stolen vehicle 'at a lower rate of speed because of the heavy traffic’, however, the SUV then turned onto Lexington Avenue and struck another motorist between 42nd and 43rd streets. 


Kehoe further said that the suspect slammed into a yellow taxi down the block and then mounted the sidewalk, where he struck several pedestrians. The 20-year-old then made a U-turn at the congested 42nd Avenue intersection while hitting several more victims with his vehicle, and then drove in the wrong direction down the one-way Lexington Avenue. The car chase ended when the driver finally collided head-on with a black sedan, however, he then hopped out of the SUV and bolted on foot, reported The New York Post. The man was detained at the scene by bystanders until police arrived. 


The New York Post quoted Michael Discioarro, a witness to the incident, saying “It was crazy, it was horrific.”


According to New York Post, the identity of the accused hasn't been revealed but, police officials said that he is a 20-year-old man that does not have a New York license. The report added that the accused has several arrests on his rap sheet, including two related to gun charges. He also has a history of narcotics.


The SUV that the accused was driving was reported to be stolen on Monday in the Bronx, reported IANS.