Rash of Crashes

Summer Madness on the Roadways

(Above- The back of the vehicle is gone after a serious crash on the New England Thruway near Co-op City. Below- An investigator walks past the scene of a car that crashed through a building on Overing Avenue. A family waiting for their belonging's in Maryland will have to wait after a driver lost the load along the Hutchinson River Parkway.--Photos by David Greene)

By David Greene

BRONX, NEW YORK, July 18- At least six serious crashes in the past week have resulted in the deaths of several individuals, several more have been injured due to speed, alcohol and reckless or careless driving.

At just after 9 p.m. July 11, a vehicle crashed on the northbound New England Thruway at Exit 8C, just outside of Co-op City. The victim in this crash was not expected to survive.

At just before 1 a.m., on, July 12, a driver would lose control of his vehicle as he traveled along E. Tremont Avenue at a high rate of speed and crashed into the wall of a store at 1648 Overing Street.

One victim died and a second was removed in critical condition,

At just after 2 p.m. on July 12, a driver of a moving truck lost his load as he traveled southbound on the Hutchinson River Parkway, on his way to Maryland, when his trailer struck the overpass at Westchester Avenue.

Not aware of the 10-foot, 2-inch limit, the unidentified driver told the highway patrolman, "I was following the GPS," unaware that trailers are not permitted on, "Parkways."

The NYPD would next respond to back-to-back hit-and-runs, the first reported at 11:20 p.m., on July 13, at E. Gun Hill Road and Webster Avenue, where a bicyclist was mowed down and left for dead.

The victim, later identified by police as David Ellis, 18, of Marion Avenue, was rushed to Montefiore where he died upon arrival.

Police were looking for the driver and passenger of the 2001 Nissan Maxima, both reported as male Hispanic, who abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot.

Less than an hour later, at 12:07 a.m., on July 14, emergency crews were called to the Grand Concourse and E. 170 Street, for two pedestrians hit by a fleeing vehicle.

EMS would remove two Hispanic males, ages 34 and 42 from the scene with, "severe body trauma," and were rushed to Lincoln Hospital.

The 42-year old victim did not survive, police are waiting family notification before releasing his name.

After striking the two men, the driver in the 2011 Honda continued north where he struck an ambulance head-on at Mt. Eden Avenue.

The still unidentified 37-year old driver, reported as a white male was taken into custody and charges were pending.

Days after signing with the NY Knicks, Jason Kidd was arrested for drunk-driving on Long Island, after a single-vehicle accident on the Hamptons.