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2 dead in separate crashes in Harlem and on Upper East Side, NYPD says
By
Brittany Kriegstein
and
Amanda Rozon
Published Mar 20, 2026
Modified Mar 20, 2026
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Sven Hoppe / picture alliance via Getty Images
By
Brittany Kriegstein
and
Amanda Rozon
Published Mar 20, 2026
Modified Mar 20, 2026
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Authorities said Friday they are investigating a pair of separate traffic collisions in Upper Manhattan that left a cyclist and pedestrian dead.
Police said they will charge a driver involved in a chaotic crash that killed a cyclist and injured several other people in a busy area of Harlem on Thursday night.
NYPD officials said the collision happened just after 8 p.m., when a 49-year-old man driving a red Hyundai Tucson eastbound on West 125th Street lost control near Frederick Douglass Boulevard, steps from the famous Apollo Theater.
The driver plowed into a 28-year-old cyclist and 33-year-old cyclist, then continued into a Toyota RAV4 being driven by a 40-year-old man, police said. The Hyundai then struck a parked Lexus with a 28-year-old man and 23-year-old man inside, before hitting an unoccupied parked NYPD cruiser and unoccupied tractor trailer.
First responders took the 28-year-old cyclist to Mount Sinai Morningside Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, officials said.
The 33-year-old cyclist was taken to Harlem Hospital in critical condition, along with the man in the Toyota and the two men in the Lexus. Authorities said they were all in stable condition.
Police said they would release the identity of the cyclist who died, once they notify his family. Officials did not immediately name the 49-year-old driver, but said he was taken into custody Thursday night and charges were pending.
Authorities said they are still investigating the cause of the crash.
NYPD data shows fatal crashes are relatively rare in the 28th Precinct, which covers Central Harlem. The precinct had no other traffic deaths reported so far this year, and none in the same timeframe last year, according to the data.
Collisions involving cyclists are also down considerably in the precinct, with just one other incident reported this year, compared to nine by mid-March last year, the data shows.
The NYPD also said it is looking for a driver who struck and killed a pedestrian on the Upper East Side on Friday morning, then fled the scene.
The driver hit the 44-year-old man at Lexington Avenue and East 61st Street just before 5 a.m., police said. The man was rushed to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Police said they have not yet identified a suspect in this incident.
City data shows traffic deaths in the 19th Precinct, which covers the Upper East Side, are slightly down compared to this point last year. In 2025, there were two such fatalities by mid-March. So far this year, there have been no traffic deaths reported in the precinct other than Friday’s alleged hit-and-run.
Citywide, traffic deaths are on par with their level at this time last year, according to NYPD figures. Through March 15, there were 34 such deaths in each period.
This is a developing story based on preliminary information from police and has been updated with additional details.
Tagged
harlem
manhattan
new york city
public safety
transportation
Brittany Kriegstein
Brittany Kriegstein covers all breaking news around New York City, with a focus on crime and gun violence. Got a tip? Email Brittany at [email protected].
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Amanda Rozon
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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