Three people have now been killed and eight others injured Thursday night after a potentially drunk driver plowed into a park on the Lower East Side where families were celebrating the Fourth of July, police said.
The crash happened just before 9 p.m. at Corlears Hook Park, between Water Street and Cherry Street, according to NYPD Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey.
Maddrey told reporters at the scene Thursday night that a man was heading east on Water Street at a “high rate of speed” in a gray Ford F-150 pickup truck when he blew through the intersection, drove up onto the sidewalk and into the park.
The driver struck multiple people who’d been gathered in the park to celebrate Independence Day, killing two immediately, Maddrey said. By Friday morning, police said a third person had died.
Maddrey added that detectives believed the driver was intoxicated.
“Responding officers who arrived on the scene did smell some alcohol, but we are still in the process of doing testing with our highway unit,” Maddrey said.
FDNY Chief of Safety Mike Meyers said firefighters had to lift the truck off of four victims, who were pinned underneath it when first responders arrived.
Maddrey added that people at the scene initially grabbed the driver, pulled him out of the car and made sure he didn’t leave until police arrived.
Officials did not immediately identify the victims who were killed, and said those injured included a mother and two children.
“This is just one of those tragic incidents that’s really going to impact this community, and we’re going to come in and make sure counselors are here,” Mayor Eric Adams said at the same press conference.
On Friday morning, police officials said the 44-year-old driver was in custody with charges pending. He was not immediately identified.
Eight people were still being treated at local hospitals, police said. The names of the dead have not been released.
This is a developing story and may be updated.