Car crashes into pedestrians in New York

At least one person was killed and 22 others injured after a car crashed into a group of pedestrians on Thursday in one of New York's most popular tourists spots, Times Square.

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio told reporters there was no indication it was an act of terrorism and that the driver had two previous arrests for drunk driving.

Authorities identified the motorist as Richard Rojas, 26, a former US Navy Veteran from New York.

City officials said the dead woman was 18-years-old.

Witnesses said the motorist was driving against traffic before his burgundy Honda sedan mounted the sidewalk and struck pedestrians.

The car hit a pole and came to rest at 45th Street and Broadway before police took the driver away.

A witness said one person was covered with a bloodstained blanket after the collision, which occurred around noon 1600 GMT at the Midtown Manhattan tourist venue.

Hundreds of thousands of people, many of them visitors from around the world, pass daily through the bustling commercial area, the heart of Broadway's theatre district.

Television footage showed police officers restraining a man in a dark T-shirt and placing him in a police car.

Witnesses say the motorist had driven against traffic and onto the sidewalk, crashing into pedestrians.

"Everybody was just running, everyone was concerned for their lives," a witness said.