Two men, including a father of triplets, were killed and three others critically injured on Friday evening after a suspected drunk driver lost control of his vehicle and mounted a pavement in Manhattan Valley, New York City.
The 61-year-old driver, who has not been named, was behind the wheel of a black Mercedes-Benz SUV when he allegedly lost control, striking several parked cars before crashing into a group of men outside a barber shop near Amsterdam Avenue and West 109th Street around 6 p.m., according to the NYPD.
Witness David Lawrence described the scene as a “horror show,” telling the New York Post that one of the deceased men was pinned under the car with his head and arms “completely disfigured.” Surveillance footage showed the SUV speeding through an intersection moments before the collision.
Police confirmed that two men, aged 35 and 46, were pronounced dead at the scene. Three other victims, aged 36, 44, and 51, were taken to hospital in critical condition. The older victim was reportedly a doorman who had just finished work, while the other worked at a hospital and was the father of triplets, according to loved ones at St. Luke’s Hospital.
The driver was taken into custody, and the NYPD’s Collision Investigation Squad is continuing to investigate the incident.
