5 dead after a speeding driver hit the individuals, splitting their car in half. Reporter by Gaby Acevedo.
What to Know
- Four young men were killed after the driver of another vehicle allegedly fleeing from police crashed into their car at high-speed in Yonkers on Tuesday night. The driver of the fleeing vehicle also died.
- Yonkers police say the four young men were pronounced dead at the scene. The violent crash occurred around 9:30 p.m. and the wreckage spanned three blocks with pieces of the vehicles scattered across the streets.
- The driver and single occupant of the Infiniti, a 36-year-old resident of Mount Vernon, was transported to Jacobi Hospital and later died, police said.
Four young men were killed after the driver of another vehicle allegedly fleeing from police crashed into their car at high-speed in Yonkers on Tuesday night. The driver of the fleeing vehicle also died.
Yonkers police say the four young men were pronounced dead at the scene. The violent crash occurred around 9:30 p.m. and the wreckage spanned three blocks with pieces of the vehicles scattered across the streets.
According to police, officers attempted to stop a 2009 Infiniti sedan on Riverdale Avenue after seeing it being operated in an erratic manner in the area of South Broadway and Prospect Street. However, although the car appeared to pull over, it immediately accelerated at a high rate of speed southbound on Riverdale Avenue, with police following the vehicle. Police stress — and video shows — they were not chasing after the Infiniti when the crash occurred.
"The Infiniti continued to accelerate beyond reckless speeds as it approached the intersection at Culver Street," police said.
While the Infiniti was traveling at a high-speed, a silver 2006 Nissan sedan, occupied by four young men, all 18-years of age and Yonkers residents, was making a right turn south onto Riverdale Avenue from eastbound Culver Street, according to police. As the Nissan entered the intersection, the Infiniti collided with the Nissan, resulting in catastrophic damage to both vehicles with the force of the impact splitting the Nissan in half.
Local
All four occupants of the Nissan were ejected from the vehicle and died at scene, police say. The driver and single occupant of the Infiniti, Devon Haywood, a 36-year-old resident of Mount Vernon, was transported to Jacobi Hospital and later died, police said.
None of the victims have been identified but friends of the young men at the crash site said they all had recently graduated from high school. The cousin of the teen behind the wheel, Brandon Sierra, said it was a casual night for the group of friends, who simply wanted to go for a ride.
"He was a great person, he always saw the light in every situation," said Michael Reyes of his cousin. "Not only did he pay with his own life, not only my family is being impacted, but the other families of those kids that were in the car with my cousin had to pay with their lives as well."
Surveillance video from a nearby gas station shows a vehicle barreling down Riverdale Avenue at "an extreme rate of speed" before crashing into the car occupied by the young men, police said. About 15 seconds later, a Yonkers police cruiser with activated lights can be seen responding to the crash.
Both criminal and internal investigations are underway.
"This was a terrible tragedy and we mourn the loss of these four young men. Our officers are trained to assess every situation and in this case disengaged and did not pursue to avoid this exact type of outcome. The sector car was approximately 15-seconds behind and not in emergency mode," Yonkers Police Lt. Dean Politopoulos said, adding that police were not engaged in a high-speed chase and that the driver of the Infiniti has a history of reckless driving.
