Driver suspected of drunk driving in FDR crash that killed two
A northbound sedan driver crashed near East 74th Street on the FDR Drive at 4:36 a.m., killing two passengers, and police identified Daquan Allen as the suspected drunk driver in custody.
What We Know
A northbound sedan driver crashed on the FDR Drive near East 74th Street early on March 4, 2022. The official record says two passengers, ages 35 and 29, were killed and one motorist was injured; it lists unsafe speed for the crash and alcohol involvement and unsafe lane changing for the sedan. Police told reporters the driver lost control and hit a concrete barrier or median, and that the white 2006 Infiniti M35 was engulfed in flames when first responders arrived. The New York Post identified the suspected driver as Daquan Allen and reported he was in police custody on suspicion of drunk driving, with charges pending. Press accounts disagreed on the victims' names and spellings.
Early-morning crash on the FDR Drive
The official crash record places the crash at 4:36 a.m. on March 4, 2022, on the FDR Drive near East 74th Street. It records a northbound sedan with three occupants; two motorists were killed and one was injured.
Police told reporters the driver lost control and hit a concrete barrier or median. Both reviewed articles described a white 2006 Infiniti M35 that was engulfed in flames after the impact.
Two passengers died
The official record lists the people killed as two female passengers, ages 35 and 29. It places one in the front passenger seat and one in the right rear passenger position.
The New York Post identified them as Kesha Montez, 35, of Yonkers, and Mahogany Robinson, 29, of Columbus, Ohio. The Daily News identified them as sisters Kesha Montes, 35, and Monhougane Robinson, 29, and reported that Robinson had traveled to New York from Ohio to visit her sibling.
FDR Drive near East 74th Street
The crash happened on the FDR Drive at East 74th Street in Manhattan, according to the official record. The reviewed articles placed the scene near East 72nd Street or at East 74th Street, a small location difference in the press accounts.
Speed, alcohol and lane changing were cited
The official crash record lists unsafe speed as a contributing factor for the collision. The vehicle record for the sedan lists alcohol involvement and unsafe lane changing, and describes the sedan as changing lanes before the crash.
The New York Post reported that police had Daquan Allen in custody on suspicion of drunk driving and said charges were pending. The Daily News headline described the driver as charged, but its article text did not provide a specific charge.
Family described a reunion turned into grief
The Daily News reported that Robinson's parents said she had taken a Greyhound bus from Ohio to visit her sister in Yonkers. The paper reported that Montes left behind two teenage sons and quoted family members describing the shock of learning the women had died in a fire.