Driver in Mazda Hit Tree on Cross Island Parkway; One Dead
A woman driving a Mazda north on the Cross Island Parkway hit a tree near Hempstead Avenue, police told the Post; the city crash record lists one person killed, two injured and alcohol involvement.
What We Know
Just after 2:20 a.m. on May 21, 2022, police told the New York Post that a woman driving a Mazda north on the Cross Island Parkway fell asleep, lost control and hit a tree near Hempstead Avenue. The city crash record lists one motorist killed, two motorists injured, a sedan with three occupants, and alcohol involvement. The sources disagree on who died: the official fatality entry identifies a 39-year-old male front passenger, while the Post reported that authorities said the driver was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police described a northbound driver leaving the roadway
Police told the New York Post that shortly after 2:20 a.m., a woman driving a Mazda north on the Cross Island Parkway fell asleep, lost control and hit a tree at Hempstead Avenue. The city crash record gives the crash time as 2:23 a.m. and lists one person killed and two people injured.
Records and the press account disagree on the fatal victim
The official fatality entry identifies the person killed as a 39-year-old male front passenger. The Post, citing police, reported that the driver was pronounced dead at the scene and that two passengers were taken to North Shore University Hospital in critical condition. The city record lists two motorists injured.
Sleep and alcohol appear in different source accounts
The Post reported that police said the driver fell asleep before losing control. The city crash record lists alcohol involvement as a contributing factor.
The crash was recorded on the Cross Island Parkway
The city crash record places the fatal crash on the Cross Island Parkway in Queens. The Post reported that it happened at Hempstead Avenue while the driver was traveling north.
Police said the investigation continued
The Post reported that the two surviving passengers were transported to North Shore University Hospital in critical condition, and that an NYPD spokeswoman said the investigation was ongoing.