Two people were killed and four others were injured early Monday morning in a traffic collision in Washington Heights.
The incident occurred at around 6:39 a.m. at West 179th Street and Audubon Avenue. Police said that a Hyundai Elantra carrying five men was traveling northbound on Audubon Avenue when it struck a Jeep traveling westbound on West 179th Street.
The crash caused the Hyundai to overturn and smash into another parked vehicle, while the Jeep spun out of control before coming to a stop upright.
EMS removed three of the Hyundai occupants to Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, where two were pronounced deceased and another is in critical condition. The other two Hyundai occupants were taken to Harlem Hospital in critical condition. The Jeep driver was taken to Harlem Hospital in stable condition with minor injuries.
The crash is still under investigation, and officials did not shed light on what precipitated it.
Traffic deaths on city streets are up slightly so far in 2023, with 110 recorded as of June 25, one more than last year, according to NYPD statistics.
In 2013, 40-year-old Antonio Ramirez was killed by a hit-and-run driver a few blocks away at Audubon and West 176th Street, just days after the city had rejected an application for speed bumps in the area, which includes an elementary school.
In 2021, 36-year-old Virginia Morales died a few days after being struck by a Mercedes driver as she crossed the street at Audubon and West 183rd Street. She was walking with her 8-year-old son and her friend, both of whom were injured, and her friend’s 9-year-old son who escaped physically unscathed. The 21-year-old Mercedes driver, Alexandra Tapia, fled the scene after plowing into the group but later surrendered into police custody.
This is a developing story, check back later for updates.
Read more: Two Men Fatally Struck by Trains in Separate Incidents
