Warning: The below images are graphic.
Actress and stuntwoman Carrie Bernas, with credits in Black Panther and The Color Purple, was left severely injured after a hit-and-run incident in New York City on Monday.
According to NBC New York, law enforcement officials said the incident began when a 44-year-old man from Fort Lee, New Jersey had been fighting with his girlfriend inside of a BMW sedan near 7th Avenue and 33rd Street — about half a mile south of where pedestrians were taking part in New Year's Eve celebrations.
Police allege that the fight between the couple turned physical when officers approached the car at around 1:30 a.m. Despite their attempts to de-escalate the situation, the man stepped on the gas and headed in the wrong direction towards 7th avenue, per NBC New York.
The NYPD then said that the driver took a turn down West 34th Street and struck four women in their 20s and 30s, a police officer on the sidewalk near 8th Avenue, a few cars near 7th Avenue, crashed into a restaurant, and struck a halal cart that pinned Bernans, 29, underneath.
Per Bernan’s mother, Patricia Lee, her daughter and a friend were walking together near the stand when she was struck.
The police were eventually able to catch and arrest the unidentified driver. The pedestrians injured along the driver's path, as well as his 34-year-old passenger, sustained minor injuries and were transported to a hospital.
Lee took to social media to share some gruesome photos of her daughter’s injuries taken from her hospital bed.
“She have [sic] a few broken bones, fractures, & chipped teeth but thanking God that she’s alive,” Lee wrote on Instagram.
Lee continued, “This setback hasn’t deterred her belief that something remarkable is still being crafted by God. Despite the injuries sustained in the collision caused by a hit-and-run in NYC, she’s filled with hope and faith in the unfolding of a beautiful new chapter. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers as she navigates this path toward recovery and new beginnings.”
Lee also confirmed that Bernans’ seven-month-old son was with family at a hotel room at the time of the crash.
According to her IMDB, Bernas is credited as a stunt performer in a number of projects including The Color Purple, American Horror Story, Avengers: Endgame, Luke Cage, and the first Black Panther film.
A GoFundMe to help Bernans with medical bills and other financial support related to her recovery has been opened on her behalf.
