Driver Charged After Striking Fans Celebrating Eagles' Super Bowl Berth
Eight people injured when vehicle collides with crowd during Philadelphia celebrations.
A 26-year-old woman has been charged after driving into a crowd of Philadelphia Eagles fans celebrating the team's victory over the Washington Commanders on Sunday night, which secured their spot in the Super Bowl.
The Philadelphia Police Department reported that eight people were injured in the incident, which occurred around 9:30 p.m. in the Spring Garden neighborhood. Injuries ranged from minor pain to fractures, though authorities did not provide details about the victims' ages, genders, or the extent of their injuries, nor did they confirm whether any of the victims were hospitalized.
The driver was identified as Rebekah DeShields, a resident of Narberth, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia. She faces multiple charges, including aggravated assault, aggravated assault by a vehicle, and causing an accident resulting in personal injury, according to district attorney's spokesperson Dustin M. Slaughter.
It is unclear whether DeShields has legal representation. Attempts to reach her by phone were unsuccessful, and the local public defender's office had not responded to requests for comment by Monday evening.
According to police, DeShields was driving a Mercedes-Benz GLA 250, a subcompact crossover SUV, when she struck the crowd at the intersection of Broad and Spring Garden streets. The incident occurred just north of an area where the city's Office of Emergency Management had closed streets to vehicular traffic for celebratory crowds.
Initially, authorities suggested that the incident may have been an accident. "Does not appear intentional at this time," the department wrote in a statement on X (formerly Twitter). However, police later amended their statement, and the charges now indicate that the collision was an intentional act. The motive for the incident remains unclear.
DeShields was stopped by police at the scene. The Eagles' 55-23 victory over the Commanders secured their place in the Super Bowl, where they will face the Kansas City Chiefs on February 9 in New Orleans.