Driver accused of hitting, killing 3 people in Manhattan park on July 4th

LOWER EAST SIDE, Manhattan (PIX11) — A man is accused of hitting and killing three people and injuring several others after ramming into them at a Lower East Side park on the Fourth of July, police said.

Daniel Hyden, 44, of Monmouth County, New Jersey, was charged with three counts of DWI and aggravated unlicensed operation of a vehicle, according to the NYPD.

The crash happened around 8:45 p.m. Thursday at a park near Water and Jackson streets, where at least 200 people were barbecuing to celebrate the holiday.

“We had a tragic incident… the driver drove through a crowd of people that were just celebrating like so many New Yorkers,” Mayor Eric Adams said Thursday night. “

Hyden was driving a gray Ford F-150 and allegedly sped through an intersection, blew a stop sign then jumped the sidewalk before hitting the bystanders in the park, according to authorities. Several people were trapped underneath the truck.

A mother, 59-year-old Lucile Pinckney, and her son, 38-year-old Hernan Pinckney, were both killed in the crash, according to authorities. Another woman also died but has not yet been identified. An 11-year-old child was among the victims, police said.

In total, seven people were injured, cops said.

Authorities said Hyden allegedly reeked of alcohol and was held at the scene by witnesses.

“The officers who arrived at the scene smelled some alcohol,” NYPD Chief Jeffrey Maddrey said. “This is not a terrorism-related event.”

Mira Wassef is a digital reporter who has covered news and sports in the NYC area for more than a decade. She joined PIX11 News in 2022. See more of her work here.

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