A tire flew off a car and smashed into the windshield of another SUV on the Grand Central Parkway in Queens Friday afternoon, injuring two people inside, at least one of them critically, police say.
A Mazda SUV was traveling westbound near the Cross Island Parkway when the tire on the front driver's side dislodged and flew over the median into the eastbound lanes, police said.
The tire smashed through the windshield of a Toyota RAV-4 SUV going eastbound, hurting two people inside, a 63-year-old man who suffered severe head trauma from the impact and a 62-year-old passenger who suffered a shoulder injury, according to police.
A 27-year-old woman and a 15-month-old baby inside the Mazda SUV were taken to the hospital for evaluation but are expected to be OK.
Traffic was heavily backed up on Grand Central Parkway into the evening rush as police investigated. The road has since been reopened.
