NEW YORK — Police are investigating after 5 individuals died in a crash on the Cross Island Parkway in Queens early Monday morning.
A neighbor’s surveillance digicam picked up the loud crashing noise simply minutes earlier than police responded to a lethal collision earlier than 6 a.m. that overturned a Mazda SUV.
“We heard the noise, and we knew it was a nasty one. It was earth-shattering. You can hear the sounds of metallic simply crunching,” neighbor Frank Steele mentioned.
“It is horrible to say, but it surely’s widespread. It is on a regular basis and also you pray once you hear it. You are like, ‘Pricey Lord, please do not let anyone be lifeless,'” neighbor Edith Caruso mentioned.
All 5 occupants within the Mazda had been pronounced lifeless on the scene. Police say at the least three of the grownup passengers had been discovered outdoors of the automobile.
It was within the northbound lane of the Cross Island Parkway on the Whitestone Expressway close to Exit 36 South when officers say the male driver of a white Honda Pilot collided with them. The driving force of the Honda was taken to a neighborhood hospital in steady situation.
Watch John Dias’ report
“I by no means use that, that exit, in any respect. I simply attempt to keep away from it always. It is simply too harmful for me,” neighbor Loredana Liggio mentioned.
Liggio and her daughter Marissa had been among the many regular move of passersby wanting from the overpass on the crash website at a well known bend within the freeway with its personal nickname.
“That is lifeless man’s curve,” mentioned Rod Snedecor. “It is a tight curve, it is all the time been. A number of accidents.”
“I consider in some unspecified time in the future anyone really went over there and painted that on there to make everyone conscious … They spraypainted ‘lifeless man’s curve,'” Marissa Liggio mentioned.
“Horrible tragedy and it is all the time this space,” mentioned Mike DiMarco. “Automobiles go round this bend so shortly and I do not suppose that individuals understand how sharp of a flip it truly is.”
When Florance Ruggiero noticed the crash from her doorstep, her coronary heart sunk.
“Form of you knew by wanting on the automobiles. Nobody needed to inform you,” she mentioned. “I’ve seen many accidents right here. I’ve lived right here all my life.”
“All people is aware of it as a lifeless man’s curve, and it is a sharp curve,” Whitestone resident Gene Crowley mentioned.
This lethal crash is not the primary one Crowley has witnessed residing within the space.
“Final summer time, a motorcyclist obtained killed. He hit the wall,” he mentioned.
Watch Kristie Keleshian’s report
Even with a 25 mph pace restrict signal, neighbors say the curve creeps up on drivers.
“If you do not know the curve is there, you are gonna pace,” Crowley mentioned.
Neighbors say extra warning indicators are wanted to forestall future accidents.
“We needed lights, flashing lights. They should put an indication — ‘harmful curve.’ Not this shut, they should do it additional again,” Ruggiero mentioned.
Northbound lanes on the curve had been closed for seven hours Monday morning as police investigated, shifting slow-moving site visitors to Exit 36 North.
“Very first thing in new 12 months and this what occurs. It is terrible,” Marissa Liggio mentioned.
“Lengthy story quick, they actually need to do one thing right here,” Snedecor mentioned.
Presently, police nonetheless have not recognized the 5 people who died and are nonetheless investigating what pace the automobiles had been driving. It is nonetheless unclear who’s at fault.