A suspected drunk driver killed two pedestrians and injured several others in a violent chain-reaction crash on Manhattan’s Upper West Side Friday evening, according to the New York Police Department.
The crash occurred around 6 p.m. near the intersection of West 109th Street and Amsterdam Avenue, a busy area lined with residential buildings, restaurants and close to Columbia University. Investigators determined that 61-year-old Elvin Suarez was driving a 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 SUV northbound on Amsterdam Avenue when he first struck a parked Volkswagen Jetta south of the intersection.
The SUV then barreled through West 109th Street, jumped a pedestrian island and struck four pedestrians before continuing through the intersection and slamming into a parked Chevrolet Astro van occupied by a 51-year-old man. The impact pushed the van into several additional parked vehicles, including a Honda CR-V, Toyota Sienna, Toyota 4Runner and Nissan Altima, authorities said.
Emergency responders transported Suarez, the van occupant and the four pedestrians to Mount Sinai Morningside Hospital. Two pedestrians, identified as Jason Negron, 46, and Michael Saint-Hilaire, 35, both of Manhattan, were pronounced dead at the hospital, police said.
Suarez, the van occupant and two additional pedestrians, ages 44 and 36, were listed in stable condition following the incident. Police arrested Suarez and charged him with two counts of manslaughter, three counts of vehicular manslaughter, two counts of vehicular assault and driving while intoxicated.
Authorities have not released additional details about what may have led up to the crash or whether speed was also a factor in the collision. The NYPD Highway District’s Collision Investigation Squad is continuing to investigate the deadly incident.
Part of Amsterdam Avenue was shut down Friday evening as investigators examined the scene and crews worked to remove damaged vehicles from the roadway. Officials have not said whether Suarez has retained an attorney.
Residents in the neighborhood described the area as typically bustling at that hour, with many people walking to nearby restaurants or heading home from work near Columbia University. The violent nature of the crash left several vehicles heavily damaged and scattered across the intersection.
Police reports indicate that Suarez allegedly lost control after hitting the parked Jetta, leading to the chain reaction that ultimately claimed two lives. Investigators are examining whether alcohol impairment played the primary role or if other factors contributed to the sequence of events.
The victims, Negron and Saint-Hilaire, were both Manhattan residents who were in the path of the out-of-control SUV after it jumped the pedestrian island. Their families have not yet released public statements, according to authorities.
This incident adds to a series of recent traffic fatalities in New York City involving suspected impaired drivers, prompting renewed calls from local officials for stricter enforcement measures along busy corridors like Amsterdam Avenue.
The investigation remains ongoing, with the Collision Investigation Squad reviewing surveillance footage and witness accounts to piece together the precise timeline of the crash. No additional charges have been announced at this time.