She had a role in Marvel’s 'Black Panther' and 'Avengers: Endgame', as well as 'The Color Purple'. Photo: Carrie Bernans/Instagram
Marvel movie actress and stuntwoman Carrie Bernans was seriously injured by a crazed driver who slammed into a halal food truck while fleeing cops in Midtown early on New Year’s Day, pinning her underneath the truck.
Bernans, 39, and a gymnast friend were walking past the halal truck on 34th Street near Eighth Avenue about 1.45am Monday (Jan 1) when Mohamed Alaouie’s BMW SUV rammed into the food truck, according to cops.
The halal truck lurched forward, striking Bernans, her friend and a third pedestrian. Bernans, who had a role in Marvel’s Black Panther and Avengers: Endgame, and The Color Purple, was briefly pinned under the truck.
She broke several bones and chipped several teeth in the crash, grisly photos posted on social media.
“Please keep Carrie in your thoughts and prayers,” Bernans’ mother posted on Instagram Monday evening. “She’s in so much pain but healing.”
The crash, her mother said, “ended up knocking her unconscious and (pinned) her under the stand. She was under it unaware of what was happening.”
“Amidst the chaos of the New Year’s incident, she’s holding onto an immense sense of gratitude for life itself,” the mother added.
Alaouie, 44, is facing multiple counts of assault and attempted murder of a police officer, as well as reckless driving and drug possession charges.
New Year’s Eve revellers were walking down 33rd Street near Seventh Avenue when they saw Alaouie inside the idling SUV arguing and assaulting his girlfriend.
Witnesses tried to get him to stop but when he wouldn’t they flagged down police, who ordered him to get out of the SUV.
“(Expletive) this s—!” Alaouie allegedly screamed before throwing the SUV into drive and speeding off down 33rd Street, making an illegal turn onto Seventh Avenue and nearly striking several officers, according to cops.
Alaouie drove down West 34th Street, struck the halal truck and kept on going for another block, driving both in the street and on the sidewalk before slamming into a sidewalk shed for a chicken restaurant.
During his escape, he struck a taxi cab that struck another taxi cab heading the other direction and finally came to a stop against a parked pickup truck and an unoccupied van, cops said.
Six pedestrians, including Bernans and her friend and three police officers suffered non-life threatening injuries.
Alaouie was taken to Bellevue Hospital as well. His arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court was pending.
His girlfriend managed to get out of the SUV during the chaos and wasn’t injured, cops said.
In an Instagram post from her hospital bed, Bernars said the crash has left her in a lot of pain and unable to breastfeed her eight-month-old baby. Her son was not with her at the time.
“He was safe in a warm hotel room with family,” she said in the post.
“I’m in so much pain and I still can’t even really walk right now,” Bernans said. She paused as the sound of machines beeped in the background.
“I’m just really hurting, but I know God is good and God heals. It’s just a matter of time.”
Despite the setback, the Memphis, Tennessee, native maintained a positive attitude.
“Thankfully my surgery went well. I had to get anesthesia,” she said. “My teeth looked cracked up but it’s OK, it’s just cosmetic. It’ll get better.”
“I haven’t really gotten no sleep in a long, long time,” she said in another video. “I’ve been pumping milk for my baby and stuff, because I care about him. My sister and family have driven out to help with him. But I just want to say thank you. Your prayers are felt.”
Also posted on the feed was a message from Bernans’ mother.
“Thank you all for reaching out, praying, calling, sending flowers, cards, donations, etc,” read the post. “This is a lot for us to deal with right now.”
“Good news, the driver is in jail,” the mother added. “The police are offering protection to Carrie at the hospital while doctors help her get better. She feels your love.” – New York Daily News
