German Tourist Killed in Fatal Hit-and-Run in Midtown

A German tourist lost her life in a gruesome hit-and-run accident in Midtown Manhattan while she and her husband were celebrating their 23rd wedding anniversary. The incident occurred Wednesday afternoon at the intersection of East 40th Street and Fifth Avenue. The woman, 50-year-old Alexandra Sabine Lewalter Maric, was struck and nearly decapitated by the vehicle, leaving her husband, Udo Lewalter, with a head injury. He is currently hospitalized in stable condition.

The driver, Mohammed Abouzaid, 40, was living in a minivan with a Mississippi license plate reading “TIMES SQUARE” and was purportedly driving at high speed in a 2001 Toyota Sienna. He allegedly hit the couple at a crosswalk, after which he fled the scene but was apprehended about an hour later nearby. Abouzaid claimed he was unaware he had hit anyone. He faces charges of leaving the scene of an accident and failure to yield to a pedestrian, with bail set at $25,000.

Prosecutors stated that Abouzaid was driving with only a learner’s permit and was speeding through a crowded intersection. After the crash, he attempted to back up, hitting a truck in the process, before fleeing. He later admitted to fleeing because he was frightened and lacked insurance. The authorities are continuing their investigation, and the possibility of upgraded charges remains open.

Lewalter Maric, originally from the town of Selb in Germany, was a dedicated music lover and had worked at Apple Retail Germany for 14 years. She and her husband had traveled to New York aboard a Virgin Cruise earlier this month to celebrate their wedding anniversary. They were last seen attending a concert together the previous year.

The German consulate has acknowledged the tragedy and is assisting the NYPD. They issued a statement emphasizing privacy considerations, but assured that the injured husband is being appropriately cared for.