Driver strikes rideshare with mother, 3 children, then hits mom, 3 kids at crosswalk
Mayor Adams, Police Commissioner update on mother, children killed on Ocean Parkway
A mother and her two children were killed, and a third child hospitalized, after a two-car crash on Ocean Parkway Saturday, police said.
BROOKLYN - A mother and her two children were killed, and a third child hospitalized, after a two-car crash on Ocean Parkway Saturday, police said.
According to police, a driver struck a rideshare vehicle carrying four passengers—a mother and three children—at an intersection before hitting another mother and three children who were crossing the street.
Timeline:
In what Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch described as a "horrific incident," the accident happened at an intersection on Ocean Parkway around 1:04 p.m. Saturday.
What we know:
According to police, a 2023 silver Toyota Camry with TLC plates was traveling westbound and attempted to turn right onto northbound Ocean Parkway.
As the Camry made the turn, a blue Audi A3 sedan traveling northbound on Ocean Parkway slammed into it. Tisch said the force of the crash pushed the Camry aside, while the Audi continued forward, hitting the mother and her three children before overturning.
Dig deeper:
The mother and two of her children crossing the street were pronounced dead at the scene. The third child was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.
Police said the third child was "fighting for his life."
Police identified the Audi’s driver as Miriam Yarimi, 32, who was taken to a hospital in stable condition. Authorities confirmed Yarimi was driving with a suspended license but said they were still investigating the reason for the suspension.
The Toyota Camry’s driver, a 62-year-old man, was also hospitalized in stable condition. The four passengers inside the Camry, including the mother and three children, sustained minor injuries and were taken to the hospital.
What we don't know:
Tisch said speed "certainly could have been a factor" but noted the investigation was still in its early stages. Authorities are also looking into whether the Audi ran a red light.
"I will call it like it is. This was a horrific tragedy caused by someone who should not have been on the road," Tisch said. "A family and a neighborhood were devastated in an instance."
A preliminary breath test is being conducted to determine if alcohol played a role in the crash.
The cause of the crash is still unknown. The investigation remains ongoing.