3 Generations of family members die in horrific Bronx crash

Jeremys Spoken

Three generations of a Bronx family were wiped out Sunday when an SUV carrying seven people - including three little girls - vaulted off an overpass and fell 60 feet into the Bronx Zoo, killing everyone in the car.

All the victims were found inside their overturned van and were pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

Rescue workers had to cut them out of their seatbelts.

Police said the victims were an 84-year-old man; three women, aged 80, 45 and 39; and three girls, aged 15, 5 and 3.

"I've been in the fire department for 30 years. Sometimes you come up on events that are horrific," said FDNY deputy chief Ronald Werner. “This was horrific.”

The members of a tight-knit Dominican family, whose names were not confirmed by police, died only a few blocks from their home in the Bronx.

“They were a good, wholesome family,” said a neighbor, Felicia Lee, 29.

“I can't believe it. I'm so sad, very sad. It's so horrible,” she said through tears.

“The mother always kept an eye on her children. They were typical little girls. They were gorgeous. They were so pretty,” Lee said.

The white Honda Pilot was traveling southbound in the left lane of the Bronx River Parkway around 12:30 p.m. when it glanced off the median

near exit 5, careened across three lanes of traffic and went off the edge, police said.

“It launches - airborne - over the guardrail,” a police source said.

A police source said the 45-year-old woman was driving.

“We believe that the driver may have struck a Jersey (temporary) barrier and, reacting to the strike of that barrier, the driver makes a severe turn, a right hand turn and goes over the (side), which is 60-foot drop,” said Police Commissioner Ray Kelly.

A zoo employee who declined to be named said the SUV fell onto the southeast portion of the 265-acre zoo property.

"It's in a non-public area," she said. "No visitors, no animals and no exhibits are affected."

The Parkway was closed as officials tried to determine what caused the accident.

No other cars were believed to be involved.

Officials used thermal imaging cameras and a cadaver dog to search the overgrown area for victims that might have been thrown clear. None were found.

Absolutely tragic =( Rest In Peace

conman

wow that is horrible

DS1119

Saw that on the news. What a tragedy. :(

StillHere

oh my god
so sad


life is so unpredictable

afroannnie

so sad :(

AlbertaGirl70_

A horrible thing for any family and community,we also lost 7 people on a local highway on Friday night......One of the reason I try to live everyday like it's my last....Lets all go tell our loved ones how much they mean to us.....