2 pedestrians killed in Manhattan crash; driver charged with manslaughter, DWI
NYPD Police Vehicle. (Gardiner Anderson for New York Daily News/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
NEW YORK - Two pedestrians were killed and several others were injured Friday evening after an SUV struck multiple people and vehicles in Manhattan, according to police.
What we know:
Police said the crash happened around 6 p.m. Friday at the intersection of West 109th Street and Amsterdam Avenue.
According to the NYPD, a 61-year-old man was driving a 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 SUV northbound on Amsterdam Avenue when he hit a parked and unattended Volkswagen Jetta about 40 feet south of West 109th Street.
Police said the Mercedes-Benz continued north through the intersection, drove over a pedestrian concrete island on the northwest corner and struck four pedestrians.
The vehicle then hit a parked Chevrolet Astro van occupied by a 51-year-old man, pushing it forward and starting a chain-reaction crash involving several parked vehicles.
Victims identified
Police identified the two pedestrians killed as:
- Jason Negron, 46, of Manhattan.
- Michael Saint-Hilaire, 35, of Manhattan.
Both were taken to Mount Sinai Morningside, where they were pronounced dead.
Injuries
Police said two other pedestrians, a 44-year-old man and a 36-year-old man, were taken to Mount Sinai Morningside in stable condition.
The 61-year-old Mercedes-Benz driver and the 51-year-old man inside the Chevrolet van were also taken to the hospital in stable condition.
Driver arrested
Police identified the driver as Elvin Suarez, 61, of Manhattan.
He was arrested and charged with:
- Manslaughter, 2 counts.
- Vehicular manslaughter, 3 counts.
- Vehicular assault, 2 counts.
- Driving while intoxicated.
What's next:
The NYPD Highway District’s Collision Investigation Squad is investigating the crash.
The Source: This article was written using information from the NYPD.