By Madina Toure
A 22-year-old woman was arrested and charged with DWI following a four-car accident on the Whitestone Expressway in Flushing that caused her friend to plunge off the overpass Saturday, the NYPD said.
Samantha Maloney, 22, was arrested and charged at the scene, according to a police spokeswoman.
At about 5 a.m., officers responded to a vehicular accident in the vicinity of the Grand Central Parkway and Whitestone Expressway, the spokeswoman said.
Officers arrived and discovered another 22-year-old woman, Maloney’s friend, who sustained body trauma, the spokeswoman continued.
EMS responded and took the woman to NewYork-Presbyterian/Queens, where she is currently in critical condition with severe body trauma, the spokeswoman said.
Further investigation determined that a 2014 Nissan, being driven by Maloney, hit a divider at the location, the official said.
The Daily News said Maloney called her friend to help her, but the police spokeswoman could not confirm the information.
A 2015 Dodge, driven by Maloney’s friend, and a 2008 Chevy, driven by a 34-year-old male off-duty EMS worker, were pulled over on the right shoulder to assist Maloney, the spokeswoman said.
Maloney, her friend and the off-duty EMS worker were standing outside when a fourth vehicle, a 2013 Jeep Cherokee driven by a 38-year-old male off-duty NYPD lieutenant, arrived and struck Maloney’s friend’s car, the spokeswoman said.
The impact caused Maloney’s friend to fall about 23 feet down below the bridge roadway, she said.
The official said EMS also took the EMS worker and the NYPD lieutenant to NewYork-Presbyterian/Queens.
Reach reporter Madina Toure by e-mail at mtour
