An alarming incident unfolded on a Harlem street Thursday night as a driver lost control and wreaked havoc, leaving five people hurt and two critically injured, according to authorities and eyewitness accounts.
The chaos began when a 49-year-old man behind the wheel of a red Hyundai Tucson drove recklessly along West 125th Street and Frederick Douglass Boulevard. At approximately 8:05 p.m., he struck two male pedestrians before crashing into a parked NYPD cruiser, police reported.
Witnesses described a scene of destruction, with the driver allegedly hitting multiple vehicles, including a truck, during the frantic episode. Jonathan Morillo, one of the onlookers, recounted to The Post how the driver slammed into a gray car and a truck, sending debris flying and striking his own vehicle in the process.
“It was like an explosion,” Morillo said, describing the moment the gray car was hit. “The pieces flew off, hit my car too, and then ran into the truck over there.”
In the aftermath, the injured pedestrians were rushed to nearby hospitals in critical condition. Remarkably, the driver emerged unscathed, according to police statements.
The injured pedestrians were both brought to local area hospitals in critical condition, while the driver was not injured in the crash, cops added.
Two other people suffered “moderate” injuries, and another person suffered minor injuries in the chaos, the FDNY said.
The unidentified individuals were all treated by EMS and brought to area hospitals.
“I was panicked. I was in shock. It’s like I saw everything in slow motion … everything happened so fast,” Morillo said.
“A lot of pieces all over the place … and then the guy just kept hitting on the gas. Like he was trying to escape.”
An unidentified person of interest was detained at the scene, according to authorities.
The incident remains under investigation.
