A horrific rush-hour crash on Manhattan’s Upper West Side left two men dead and three others critically injured after a suspected drunk driver hopped a curb and plowed into a sidewalk crowd. The incident occurred around 6:00 PM on Friday, May 15, 2026, at 996 Amsterdam Avenue near West 109th Street. Law enforcement officials reported that a 61-year-old man operating a black Mercedes-Benz SUV was traveling northbound at a staggering 108 mph when he lost control, initiating a devastating chain-reaction collision.
The out-of-control vehicle clipped a Volkswagen Jetta and slammed into a parked Chevy Astro minivan before launching across a bike lane and mounting the sidewalk. The SUV struck five male pedestrians who were gathered outside a local neighborhood spot, causing the heavy vehicle to briefly go airborne. A 35-year-old man and a 46-year-old man were pronounced dead from the impact, while three other men, ages 36, 44, and 51, were rushed to local hospitals where they remain in critical condition.
Onlookers described a scene of absolute chaos and rapid community mobilization as neighbors rushed to help the victims. Cellphone video captured desperate bystanders attempting to manually lift the heavy SUV off a man pinned underneath the wreckage. Regulars from the tight-knit block and a retired EMT administered emergency CPR while waiting for first responders, noting that the victims were familiar, well-known faces in the neighborhood.
The 61-year-old driver was taken into custody at the scene and transported to a hospital for evaluation. Police sources noted that the driver appeared highly intoxicated, confused, and disoriented immediately following the crash. The NYPD Highway Collision Investigation Squad is leading the ongoing investigation into the incident.