Five people were hospitalized following a fiery pileup involving four cars on the Belt Parkway early Monday morning.
Police from the 106th Precinct in Ozone Park responded to a 911 call of a vehicle collision on the westbound Belt Parkway at Chohancy Street just before 1:30 a.m. on June 27.
A preliminary investigation determined that the drivers of a 2013 BMW 328 and a 2018 Honda Accord were allegedly drag racing westbound in the left lane on the Belt Parkway when the Honda clipped the rear of the BMW, police said. The Honda veered to the right, coming to rest on the right shoulder of the roadway, and then erupted into flames, according to the NYPD. The BMW came to a stop in the left travel lane and was plowed into by a 2017 Infiniti Q50 which also struck the rear of a 2007 Subaru Forester that was traveling westbound in the middle lane.
The driver of the Infiniti fled the scene on foot and is being sought by the NYPD. All of the other drivers and passengers remained on the scene and were removed to area hospitals for treatment.
The driver of the Honda, a 28-year-old woman, was rushed by EMS to Brookdale Hospital Medical Center in stable condition. A 28-year-old passenger was transported by EMS to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center in stable condition.
The driver of the BMW, a 24-year-old man, and a 25-year-old man riding in the BMW were both transported by EMS to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center with severe head trauma, where they are both listed in critical condition, police said.
The driver of the Subaru, a 55-year-old man, was rushed to Brookdale Hospital Medical Center where he is in stable condition. All westbound lanes of the Belt Parkway near JFK Airport were closed for hours while the wreckage of the four vehicles was cleared.
There have been no arrests and the NYPD’s Highway Collision Investigation Squad continues to investigate.
