Truck Driver Was Drunk In Deadly Cross Bronx Expressway Crash, Police Say
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A truck driver was facing charges Monday night accused of being drunk behind the wheel and causing a deadly accident near the George Washington Bridge.
As CBS2's Hazel Sanchez reported, police said the driver also fled the scene before he was caught.
A crushed and mangled 1997 Toyota sedan was left unrecognizable following the crash around 2:30 a.m. Monday. Sandu Simranjeet Singh, 23, was allegedly drunk when he was driving a semi-trailer truck west on the Cross Bronx Expressway.
He was approaching the George Washington Bridge ramp when he slammed into the car and drove off, police said.
The driver of the Toyota – Caesar Contreras, 25, of New Brunswick, New Jersey – was dead at the scene, police said. The other two occupants – a 28-year-old woman and a 39-year-old woman, were taken to NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem in critical condition, police said. They were expected to recover.
Parts of the George Washington Bridge had to be shut down during the accident investigation, which caused traffic backups throughout the morning commute.
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey police said their officers tracked down Singh at the Vince Lombardi Rest Stop in Ridgefield, New Jersey. They said he smelled of alcohol, and a Breathalyzer test confirmed he was legally drunk.
His truck also showed clear evidence of a front-end collision, police said.
The owner of Markhai Transport Truck told CBS2 that Singh joined his company in October, had an accident-free record, and had only been driving tractor-trailers for just over one year.
Singh is facing multiple charges in New Jersey, including driving under the influence of alcohol. Charges in New York were still pending late Monday.
