Thousands are expected to attend the funeral for Yadira Arroyo, the FDNY EMT who was run over after her ambulance was hijacked last week, in the Bronx on Saturday. The 14-year department veteran — and mother of five — died March 16 after suspect Jose Gonzalez stole the ambulance as Arroyo, 44, and another EMT were heading to a call.
Arroyo’s funeral will take place at 11 a.m. at St. Nicholas of Tolentine Roman Catholic Church in University Heights. The service will be live streamed. Hundreds, including city officials, attended a two-day wake for Arroyo on Thursday and Friday.
A motorist had alerted Arroyo and passenger EMT Monique Williams, 31, that a man was riding on the bumper of their ambulance as they headed to a call on March 16. When Arroyo got out to confront the 25-year-old Gonzalez in the Morris Park section of the Bronx, he hopped behind the wheel. Gonzalez struggled with Williams before putting the ambulance in reverse, trapping and dragging Arroyo underneath. Williams was also struck and was critically injured.
Graphic video posted to Twitter showed the ambulance speeding with one of its doors flapping open with an EMT’s body lodged underneath before the vehicle crashed into a parked car and hit a snow bank. Gonzalez, who is allegedly a member of the Bloods gang and has a long list of prior arrests and a history of mental illness, was arrested at the scene. The injured suspect missed his hearing at Bronx Criminal Courthouse on Wednesday, which was packed with Arroyo’s FDNY grieving colleagues. His next court appearance is slated for April 5.