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06-14-23-penn-presbyterian-medical-center-mollie-benn
Three nurses were injured in a hit-and-run car accident at the Penn Presbyterian Medical Center on Oct. 12. Credit: Mollie Benn

The suspect in a Saturday hit-and-run car accident at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center — which left three nurses injured — surrendered himself to police on Wednesday afternoon.

Police announced that Jaadir Goodwyn turned himself in without incident to Philadelphia Police headquarters around noon on Wednesday. His surrender followed a press conference held on Oct. 15 by leadership from the Philadelphia Police Department and the City of Philadelphia at Penn Presbyterian. 

During the press conference, Philadelphia Police outlined an arrest warrant and charges against Goodwyn — including multiple counts of aggravated assault and other related charges.

Deputy Commissioner of Investigations for PPD Frank Vanore announced the warrant for Goodwyn’s arrest at the press conference, adding that the investigation into the incident was a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation, PPD, and Penn Police. 

2016 Fels Institute of Government graduate and Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker spoke about the importance of protecting healthcare workers following the incident and ending the “culture of lawlessness” present in the city. 

“It's important for me to say out loud so that Philadelphia knows, and this is for every health care worker here at Penn Presbyterian and every health care worker in the city, I see you and I hear you," Parker said. "We know what valuable services you provide to us on a daily basis."

She added that she learned of the incident from a call from University of Pennsylvania Health System CEO Kevin Mahoney, who was also present at the news conference. 

Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said that when he woke up on Saturday morning to learn of the hit-and-run, he “could not believe what [he] saw.”

Chief Nurse Executive for the Health System James Ballinghoff said that protocol at the hospital has already changed following the incident.

“We will no longer extricate a patient from a car without that car being turned off and the driver stepping out," he told reporters. "Our security will handle all of that prior to any nurses, physicians or technicians stepping in to help that patient."

The hit-and-run incident occurred at 4:22 a.m. on Saturday morning when Goodwyn, driving a silver Jeep Cherokee, dropped off a shooting victim in the ambulance bay at Penn Presbyterian. As he fled the scene, he struck all three nurses and the victim. One of the nurses remains in critical condition. 

The shooting victim was injured on the 1300 block of Belmont Avenue before being taken to the hospital.