What Caused Fatal Fiery Crash?

What Caused Fatal Fiery Crash?

Two Killed, One Critical After Latest Bronx River Crash

(Photo by David Greene)

By David Greene

BRONX, NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 15- Yet another fiery crash on the Bronx River Parkway has claimed the lives of two local men and a third remains in critical condition after their car struck a tree in Soundview.

Emergency crews were called to the southbound Bronx River Parkway at Watson Avenue in the Soundview section at 4:15 a.m. on September 12.

Officials say the driver of a blue 2006 Mini Cooper lost control and struck the highway divider before slamming into a tree. Upon impact, the vehicle split in half and burst into flames.

Police say a 20-year-old male passenger in the back seat was burned beyond recognition and was pronounced dead at the scene.

A second 20-year-old male was ejected from the vehicle and was rushed to Jacobi Hospital, where he died a short time later.

A third still-unidentified 23-year-old victim was also thrown from the vehicle when it split in half and was also transported to Jacobi Hospital, where officials say he remains in extremely critical condition.

Officials would later identify the backseat passenger as Bill Bido, 20, of Father Zeiser Place.

The second victim was identified as Xavier Rodriguez, 20, of East 161 Street.

One witness at the scene claimed the car that crashed had been racing with a second vehicle that kept going, but that claim could not be confirmed.

The Bronx River Parkway has been the site of several deadly crashes over the last several years.

On April 29, 2012, a family of seven was killed when their SUV went over a railing on the Bronx River Parkway near the Bronx Zoo.

Six others were killed when another vehicle jumped the highway divider and struck another vehicle head-on near East 177 Street on July 9, 2006.

Two off-duty cops were killed when their out-of-control vehicle struck a utility pole near the East 233 Street exit on May 16, 2010.

The highway divider in the East 177 Street crash and the barricade at the edge of the road at the site of the Bronx Zoo crash have both recently been elevated.