Three killed after ‘drunk driver’ slams into July 4 revellers at NYC park

At least three people were killed and around seven others were injured after a suspected drunk driver drove on a sidewalk and crashed into a park during Fourth of July celebrations, barreling into one group who were having a barbecue for the occasion.

The crash occurred just before 9pm on the Lower East Side , when a driver of a Ford F-150 gray pickup truck was “driving at a high rate of speed” down the street and ran through a stop sign before driving up a sidewalk and crashing into Corlears Hook Park, the New York Police Department (NYPD) said on Thursday night.

Many families were inside the park at the time of the crash celebrating together, the police said.

Around 10 people were struck in the incident, including four who became trapped under the car. At the scene, two people were pronounced dead before a third died overnight, local reports say.

At least one more victim remains in hospital in a critical condition after the devastating crash, while other victims are suffering from various levels of injuries.

At the police’s press conference, officials reported at the time a total of nine patients and two deaths. However, senior law enforcement officials announced moments later that a third death was reported and a 10th patient had walked into a hospital with facial injuries, NBC New York reported.

Jeffrey Maddrey, the NYPD chief of department, said they are still working to determine the ages of all the victims, but he did say there were at least two children taken to an area hospital.

Authorities do not believe that the incident appears to be an act of terrorism, but rather that it could have been alcohol-related. However, authorities are yet to confirm this.

“Responding officers who did arrive on the scene did smell some alcohol, but we are still in the process of doing testing,” Maddrey said.

Eric Adams, mayor of New York City, said the crowd in the park that the driver drove into was celebrating Independence Day “like so many New Yorkers and Americans are doing right now.”

"It appears as though at this time, based on preliminary investigation, that the driver was under the influence," Adams said. "This is extremely early. We’re going to conduct a thorough investigation."

After the crash, the New York City Fire Department said their crews arrived on the scene within three-and-a-half minutes and lifted the vehicle off the victims.

The driver, whose name has yet to be released by authorities, was taken into custody – in part with the help of some good Samaritans, but charges have to be filed.

“We believe, initially, that there were people who were there at the scene who grabbed the driver, removed the driver and made sure the driver didn’t leave until first responders made it to the scene," Maddrey said.

One witness in the park said the victims were enjoying a barbecue in the park before the driver plowed into the park, they told The New York Post.

Another distressed witness told the outlet that they “can’t get the screaming out of my head.”

An investigation is ongoing into this incident. The Independent has contacted the NYPD for further information.