'Blood was just flowing': Ride-share driver stabbed multiple times on FDR Drive

NEW YORK (PIX11) --- A ride-share driver who was stabbed multiple times by a passenger begged a stranger for help as he struggled to stay conscious.

"He was holding right over here and the blood was just flowing," Yulyia Birbrayer told PIX11 News Tuesday.

Ismael English, 20, allegedly tried to rob the 36-year-old Lyft driver on the FDR Drive before attacking him at around 3 p.m., police said. The victim was stabbed in the shoulder, arm, and chest, officials said.

The quick-thinking driver then rear-ended Birbrayer's car and stumbled out of the vehicle before begging her to call his wife, the witness said. The driver explained what happened when he started losing consciousness, witnesses said.

"He did tell me the wife’s number. But he couldn't talk to her because it was hard for him to talk at all," Birbrayer said.

After the fender bender, cellphone video showed English trying to get into other cars before diving headfirst through another driver's open window. English was then spotted dangling over the side of the highway before tumbling down onto South Street.

"I come and I see them over there in the car wrestling together. I come closer and say what's going on? He looks at me, jumps out the window, runs a little bit, and then he jumps over," said witness Sergey Velbovets.

English was arrested after the fall and taken to the hospital. The Daily News reported the suspect broke both his legs in the fall. He is in stable condition, police said.

The driver had surgery for his wounds and is in stable condition, police said Wednesday.

English was charged with attempted murder, attempted robbery, criminal possession of a weapon, and reckless endangerment, police said. His arraignment was pending Wednesday morning.