7-Year-Old From Glen Cove Among Killed In Early Sunday Crash

GLEN COVE, NY — Authorities have identified the victims of a fatal car crash in New Rochelle early Sunday as members of a Long Island family.

The New Rochelle Police Department is still investigating the crash, which claimed the lives of a 37-year-old man and his 7-year-old son. The boy's 7-year-old twin brother and 11-year-old sister were critically injured.

Around 1:30 a.m. on Sunday, authorities responded to the report of a car accident on Pelhamdale Avenue, near the Hutchinson River Parkway Northbound exit ramp. When first responders arrived, they found that a gray Nissan Altima — with a man and three of his children inside — had crashed into a brick retaining wall on the opposite side of the exit ramp.

The driver — later identified as Troy Carter, 37 of Hempstead — was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. The front seat passenger has been identified as 11-year-old Tiara Carter. She is said to have been critically injured but is recovering in the hospital.

The backseat driver's side passenger, Carmello Carter, was also killed, according to police. Twin brother Romello Carter was sitting in the backseat on the passenger side of the car. He is said to be in critical condition following emergency surgery.

The twins were students at Landing Elementary School in Glen Cove. Carmello loved to play sports and was on the Glen Cove junior softball team and soccer team, according to a GoFundMe fundraiser, which had brought in more than $43,000 as of Tuesday night for the family of the victims.

"If you knew him you called him Mello, The Favorite, 2 pack, Chunks, PaPa, Car, the list goes on and on," the fundraiser page read. "He loved to eat Kraft Mac and cheese and bbq sauce on anything. He was so outgoing but shy at the same time. Your favorite introvert and extrovert mix."

The fundraiser's poster went on to say: "To know him is to love him, he was a very loving, caring, polite, energetic, fearless, amazing little boy. He will forever be loved and missed. I truly believe he is no longer with us because God needed him for something better."

Patch's Jeff Edwards contributed to this report.