Police say a car driving away from a traffic stop in suburban New York City crashed into another car, splitting that vehicle in half and killing five people.
YONKERS, NY – A car driving away from police Tuesday night in suburban New York City crashed into another car, splitting that vehicle in half and killing five people, officials said.
The 36-year-old driver and four 18-year-old men, driven from the other vehicle, died in the crash. The fatal collision occurred around 9:30 p.m. in Yonkers, Mayor Mike Spano and Police Commissioner John Mueller reported.
WNBC-TV reported that friends described the four 18-year-olds as recent high school graduates.
Spano said the crash, on Riverdale Avenue near Culver Street in the Ludlow Park neighborhood, was “nothing short of tragic.”
“Four young lives were interrupted by the recklessness of an individual,” Spano said in a statement. “Let this be a lesson for all of you who drive at excessive speeds: it not only puts your life at risk, but also the innocent lives with whom you share the road.”
Spano and Mueller said that minutes before the crash, officers tried to stop the car at full speed, a 2009 Infiniti, because it was driving irregularly. The car appeared to stop, but it suddenly accelerated and went down Riverdale Avenue to “beyond reckless speeds,” officials said.
According to agents, the Infiniti crashed into the car with the four 18-year-olds, a 2006 Nissan turning right onto Riverdale Avenue from Culver Street, causing “catastrophic damage to both vehicles.” said Spano and Mueller.
The wreckage was spread over three islands and Riverdale Avenue was closed for more than eight hours. Spano and Mueller said the investigation into the accident is ongoing.
Police identified the Infinity driver as Mount Vernon’s Devon Haywood, and the four Nissan men as Brandon Sierra, Randy Brisbane, Tamari Watkins and Anthony Cruz. They all lived in Yonkers.
WNBC reported that the gas station’s security video showed a car traveling at full speed before it collided with the vehicle occupied by the four men.
Maria Delgado, who lives in the area, told WABC-TV that she heard a loud noise and that a man was running and saying, “Oh my God, oh my God!”
He said he went out into the street and saw bodies and one of the cars split in half.