Driver surrenders after man run over while recording video of car doing donuts in NYC, police say
NEW YORK CITY -- A driver accused of running over a man who was recording video of him doing donuts during an illegal street event in New York City has surrendered to police Wednesday.
The victim, 23-year-old Christopher Brito, was critically injured when he fell to the ground before being struck just after midnight Saturday, according to police.
Police said at least 1,000 people were in attendance at the event, and that calls flooded into 911.
Video shows the driver doing donuts and several people walking into the street to record video. One man is nearly struck but manages to jump out of the way, and then Brito, of Tannersville, Pennsylvania, is seen walking out with his phone.
He falls in front of the car and is run over while horrified onlookers watch.
Raw video released by police:
Brito suffered a fractured skull, brain injury and severe trauma to the body.
EMS transported him to a nearby hospital, where he remains in critical condition.
The driver was doing a "street takeover" when the victim was struck. His name is Tyler, as written on the car, our sister-station WABC reported.
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His attorney told detectives his client was just trying to operate his vehicle and didn't know he had struck the victim until later.
Charges against him are pending.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to cover Brito's medical expenses and had raised more than $15,000 as of Wednesday afternoon.
A friend tells Eyewitness News that Brito was there to document the so-called "car culture" that police say puts drivers and spectators at risk.
