Times Square crash: 18-year-old tourist identified as woman killed by car

Her 13-year-old sister was also injured during the crash

The 26-year-old allegedly ploughed his red Honda sedan through the popular tourist destination (AFP/Getty)

The woman who was killed in the devastating car crash in Times Square has been identified as 18-year-old Alyssa Elsman, a tourist visiting New York City from Michigan.

Ms Elsman was killed when a car driven by a 26-year-old with a history of drink driving ploughed through the crowded tourist attraction on a hot, sunny day in New York at lunchtime. The teenager from Portage attended a local high school and was a waiter at a fast food restaurant there.

The crash that killed Ms Elsman injured as many as 20 others, including her 13-year-old sister, who was on vacation with her. The driver was quickly apprehended by police and taken into custody where he was given a breathalyser test and blew a 0.0. Drug tests were pending, and law enforcement officials said that the driver, Richard Rojas, was likely under the influence of a drug ingested via smoking.

A recent post on her Facebook page showed how tragic her sudden death was. Comments on the post, which announced a new relationship, quickly shifted from playful teenage banter about a budding romance to condolences and heartbreaking messages of loss after her death was reported.

A photo on her Instagram in April of last year shows her standing in a busy Times Square in a previous trip.