#Yonkers #CarCrash #Crash #Brandon Sierra #Randy Brisbane #Tamari Watkins #Anthony Cruz
A speeding car fleeing from a traffic stop smashed into another vehicle in suburban New York, splitting one of them in half and killing five men overnight, four of them teenagers.
The driver of one of the cars was killed in what officials have described as a 'catastrophic' crash on Tuesday in Yonkers, along with four boys, all age 18, in the other vehicle. Friends described the youths as recent high school graduates, according to WNBC.
The deadly collision took place at 9.23pm on Riverdale Avenue near Culver Street in the Ludlow Park neighborhood. Chunks of debris and twisted car parts from the wreckage were strewn across three blocks.
Riverdale Avenue was closed for more than eight hours as authorities worked to piece together what had happened.
Gas station security video showed a white Infiniti sedan with only the driver inside speeding before it barreled into the vehicle occupied by the four teens.
On Wednesday, police identified the driver of the infiniti as 36-year-old Devon Haywood, of Mount Vernon. The occupants of the other car were identified as Brandon Sierra; Randy Brisbane; Tamari Watkins, and Anthony Cruz, all 18 from Yonkers.
Shortly before the collision, police observed Haywood operating his white 2009 Inifniti 'in an erratic manner with equipment violations' and made at attempt to pull him over.
Haywood appeared to stop in front of 47-85 Riverdale Avenue, but then accelerated at a high rate of speed southbound.
Officers followed the Infiniti, but a Yonkers police spokesperson stressed to DailyMail.com that they were not chasing Haywood because they 'intuitively know not to engage in high-speed pursuits.'
The Infiniti continued to accelerate 'beyond reckless speeds' as it approached the intersection at Culver Street, when a silver 2006 Nissan sedan occupied by the four teenagers was making a right turn south onto Riverdale Avenue.
As the Nissan entered the intersection, the Infiniti crashed into it, resulting in what police described as 'catastrophic damage' to both vehicles; the force of the impact split the Nissan in half. All four occupants were ejected onto the roadway and were pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the Infiniti had to be extricated from his mangled car using 'Jaws of Life.' He was transported to Jacobi Hospital, where he later died.
The first officer arrived on the scene 15 seconds after the crash.
Maria Delgado, who lives in the area, told WABC-TV she heard a loud noise and a man running and saying, 'Oh my God, oh my God!'
She said she went outside and saw bodies and one of the cars split in half.
