A terrifying crash on Manhattan’s Upper West Side has left two men dead and three others injured after police say an intoxicated driver jumped the curb and slammed into pedestrians sitting outside a barbershop.
The deadly wreck happened Friday, May 15, around 6 p.m. on Amsterdam Avenue near West 109th Street.
Authorities said 61-year-old Elvin Suarez was behind the wheel of a Mercedes SUV when he allegedly struck a parked vehicle, triggering a chain-reaction crash before his SUV careened into multiple people on the sidewalk.
The two men killed were identified as 46-year-old Jason Negron and 35-year-old Michael Saint-Hilaire.
Three other men, ranging in age from 36 to 52, were rushed to the hospital in critical condition.
Neighbors said the victims had been sitting outside a barbershop on folding chairs when the SUV suddenly came barreling toward them.
Witnesses described a horrifying scene as the vehicle smashed into the area and left people trapped and bleeding.
“He was just swerving, driving really fast, and then he drove up over the median,” witness Eva Santiago told CBS News. “We saw the car go up in the air and come down and land on everybody.”
Video from the scene reportedly showed people desperately trying to lift a vehicle so someone pinned underneath could be freed.
One witness claimed the driver appeared confused after getting out of the SUV.
Retired EMT Janice Diaz said she rushed to help after seeing three bodies on the ground. She performed CPR on one unconscious man who was bleeding.
“I am just yelling, ‘Back up, back up! I’m an EMT, I’m trying to help! Someone help me to hold his head and call 911!’” Diaz recalled.
She said the victims were not strangers to the area.
“These are all people from our neighborhood,” she said, adding that they had been spending time with friends before the tragedy unfolded.
Police said the crash did not appear to be intentional, though the investigation remains ongoing.
Suarez is now facing multiple charges, including manslaughter, vehicular manslaughter, and driving while intoxicated.
The deaths have shaken the neighborhood and devastated the families of both men.
A GoFundMe page created for Negron described him as a beloved doorman and longtime member of the 545 community, where he had worked since the building opened in 2006.
“More than a doorman, Jason was a friend to so many and an important part of our building family,” the tribute said.
Negron lived just blocks from where he worked and was described as a cherished part of the local community. He is survived by his wife and two daughters.
A separate fundraiser for Saint-Hilaire remembered him as a loving father, friend, and brother.
“Michael was the kind of person who would always lend a hand or offer a smile to anyone in need,” the page said. “He touched so many lives with his kindness, generosity, and positive spirit.”
Saint-Hilaire leaves behind three young children.
The NYPD warned drivers to expect heavy traffic and emergency vehicle activity in the area after the crash as investigators worked the scene.
Life in today’s Amerika!!
And, most definitely, life in New York!!!!