Two dead and others injured in car crash in New York park

Two people were killed and others injured when a suspected driver plowed into a crowd celebrating the holiday in a New York park on Thursday.

A pickup truck drove through an intersection “at high speed,” hit the sidewalk and crashed into the crowd at Corlears Hook Park in Manhattan at around 8:55 p.m., police said.

Nine people were hit, two of them dead on arrival, New York Police Chief Jeff Maddrey said at a press conference.

Two of the victims were in critical condition, three were in serious condition and two others were not seriously injured, officials said.

The park on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, next to the East River, was full of families “celebrating a beautiful Fourth of July evening,” Maddrey said.

Mayor Eric Adams said a tragedy struck as families were barbecuing and enjoying the evening.

“Based on preliminary investigations, it currently appears that the driver was under the influence,” Adams said. “It’s still very early days. We will conduct a thorough investigation.”

Maddrey said officers did indeed smell some alcohol, but tests are still pending.

When rescuers arrived at the park, “they found a pickup truck lying on top of four victims,” ​​said Michael Meyers, deputy fire chief.

People at the park “grabbed the driver, got him out and made sure he didn’t drive away until emergency responders got there,” Maddrey said.

The driver was not identified at the press conference.

The driver was speeding east on Water Street in a Ford F-150, crossed an intersection and “ran a stop sign, entered the sidewalk and Corlears Hook Park, and struck people enjoying the evening,” Maddrey said.