Pedestrian Killed In 5-Vehicle Chain Reaction Crash In Harlem: NYPD

HARLEM, NY — A man walking in East Harlem was killed Monday afternoon when a car veered out of control, causing a multi-vehicle pileup, police said.

Investigators report that a 51-year-old man was driving a white Mercedes at high speed near East 105th Street and First Avenue around 3:30 p.m. when he changed lanes and ran a red light at the intersection, causing the vehicle to mount a concrete island in the roadway.

The impact caused the Mercedes to collide with a parked, unoccupied motorcycle and a parked SUV. The SUV then struck a 51-year-old pedestrian who had been walking beside the roadway, according to police.

In a chain reaction, the SUV also collided with a parked box truck and a parked Infiniti G35.

Four of the five vehicles were unoccupied, but police said the Infiniti did have a 50-year-old passenger who was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

When police arrived, they found the pedestrian lying unconscious and unresponsive in the roadway, with trauma to one of his legs. EMS transported him to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

As of Tuesday, his identity has not been released.

Police report that the driver of the white Mercedes remained at the scene but was taken to the hospital. He was later charged overnight with manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, and reckless endangerment.

An investigation into the crash remains ongoing.