A car crashed into a throng in Philadelphia on Sunday night as they were celebrating the Eagles’ victory over the Washington Commanders to go to the Super Bowl, injuring eight people.
According to a statement released by the Philadelphia Police Department on Monday, the injuries varied from slight discomfort to fractures. There was no information available regarding the victims’ ages, genders, health, or hospitalization status.
Rebekah DeShields, 26, of Narberth, Pennsylvania, one of the Main Line—the historic, train-adjacent suburbs of Philadelphia—was identified by authorities as the driver. Dustin M. Slaughter, the district attorney’s spokesperson, stated via email that she was charged on Monday.
DeShields was accused of creating an accident that resulted in death or serious harm, aggravated assault, and aggravated assault by a vehicle, according to Slaughter.
It’s unclear if DeShields has legal representation. Her name was associated with a phone number that was unavailable Monday night, and another that had a voicemail box identifying the user as someone with that name did not immediately answer a message.
A request for comment was not immediately answered by the local public defender’s office.
near 9:31 p.m. on Sunday, DeShields struck celebrants near Broad and Spring Garden streets in the Spring Garden district while operating a Mercedes-Benz GLA 250, a subcompact crossover SUV, according to the police.
At first, police said it might have been an accident.
According to the department, “does not appear intentional at this time,” late on Sunday.
A potential motivation was not revealed, and it is unclear why police now claim the driver committed assault. According to the police statement released on Monday, officers pulled over the car at the site.
The streets on each side of Broad Street, from just north of City Hall almost to its renowned South Street, would be closed to traffic for celebrants, according to a Sunday night announcement from Philadelphia’s Office of Emergency Management. The event took place north of the closures.
After defeating the Commanders 55-23, the Eagles will play the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl on February 9 in New Orleans.