Seven people were ejected from the back of a moving van on the Belt Parkway in Queens early Tuesday morning, critically injuring three of the occupants – one ending up in a tree, police say.
The crash occurred at about 3:30 a.m. when the van, Jamaica Moving and Storage, was traveling east-bound on the Belt Parkway at about 84th Street when it overturned, breaking open the rear doors and sending seven people sitting on the floor boards in the rear out onto the highway and some into the woods.
Police and firefighters rushed to the scene, where they found the numerous people injured on the highway and in the brush surrounding the roadway. Three of the injured were in critical condition with most taken to Jamaica Hospital, though one teenager was rushed to Long Island Jewish Hospital with serious trauma injuries.
No other vehicles were involved in the crash, police from the 106th Precinct believe at this time. Police also believe the van was traveling at high speed, but the crash is still under investigation by Highway detectives.
