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Three dead in horrific Halloween crash in Bronx – NY Daily News
10-year-old damsel among three dead as car plows into trick-or-treaters in the Bronx
A Bronx street packed with Halloween trick-or-treaters turned into a real-life scene of horror Saturday when a car plowed into a group of costumed revelers — killing three people, including a 10-year-old lady.
A cluster of adults and children carrying pumpkin-shaped buckets were strolling along Morris Park Ave. around Four:50 p.m. when an out-of-control Dodge Charger vaulted the sidewalk, authorities said.
The speeding car slammed directly into the group near Bogart Ave., leaving a trail of mangled bods packaged in crumpled, bloody costumes, witnesses said.
Kristian Leka, twenty four — who was watching his little sister Fiona, ten — was transported to Jacobi Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
“The fellow in front of my feet, his figure was ripped in half. He was dead already,” said Kristina DeJesus, a hospital administrative assistant.
“There was a youthfull dame on the side of the car. She was like, ‘Can somebody help me?’ I was screaming at her, ‘Whatever you do, don’t budge!’
“I had no time to sob . to react,” she added. “My figure went into help mode.”
Louis Perez, a 65-year-old retired Army veteran, who was honored with a Purple Heart for his service in Vietnam, suffered severe head trauma and was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
“He was the greatest grandfather in the world. He picked up his granddaughters every day from school, he fed them and took care of them,” said his heartbroken wifey Miriam Perez. “He was so loved by them. They adored him. He will be sorely missed.”
His 10-year-old granddaughter Nyanna Aquil, who had dressed as a grey cat with a painted nose and whiskers, was rushed to Jacobi Hospital, but she could not be saved. She suffered internal bleeding and severe head trauma, her mourning mother Natalia Perez said.
Nyanna’s sister Yasmina, Three, suffered a non-life menacing neck injury, her relatives said.
“My daughter was the best daughter in the world. She never gave me any trouble. She loved to dance. She wished to be a dancer or a Disney starlet. She was a beautiful, beautiful female,” said Natalia, 37.
A black Dodge sedan mounted the sidewalk and crashed through a fence, killing one.
“It was all because my dad wished to take my ladies for a 2nd round of trick-or-treating,” she added. “Isn’t that crazy? I had already taken the damsels earlier.”
Another daughter, 8-year-old Sanaya, was unharmed thanks to her grandfather’s bravery. “She says that her grandfather saved her, he shoved her out of the way,” Natalia said.
The decorated veteran’s wifey commended her hubby’s final act of courage.
A victim is taken away from the crash scene on a stretcher.
“He died attempting to save his granddaughters,” she said. “He was a hero then and a hero now.”
Kristian Leka, twenty four — who was watching his little sister Fiona, ten — was also transported to Jacobi Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Moments before the car barreled into them, Leka attempted to thrust his sister to safety, witnesses and relatives said.
Moments before the car barreled into them, Leka (top) attempted to thrust his sister Fiona (l.) to safety, witnesses and his relatives said.
“The car came up very rapid and he shoved her out of the way,” Leka’s uncle Lulsh Kanaj, 64, told the Daily News at the hospital.
“He saved her. The car hit him and he went into the wall. His head was crushed. I don’t know what caused the driver to do this.”
Leka’s little sister suffered a cracked arm, Kanaj said.
Another 21-year-old woman Greta Luka was injured, sources said.
Perez’s grief-stricken relatives rushed to Jacobi Medical Center
“He was taking her trick-or-treating,” Perez’s firefighter son, also named Louis, told The News. “He was a wonderful man.”
The junior Perez was overheard telling another firefighter, “I lost my niece.”
The driver — identified as Howard Unger, fifty two — was listed in serious but stable condition.
Unger was traveling west on Morris Park Ave. when his Dodge bumped the rear of a black Toyota Camry, authorities said.
The Dodge sideswiped a bus, “bears to the left and takes off,” a police source said.
It careened onto the sidewalk, went airborne and struck six pedestrians, sources said.
The Bronx crash scene at Morris Park Ave.
The car then smashed through a fence in front of a home, leaving it teetering on a brick wall
Witnesses said the Dodge had repeatedly bumped the back of the Toyota, making it show up as if it were intentional.
“It looked like it was road rage,” said witness Laurie Grey Williams. “I couldn’t figure out why he was hitting the back (of the car). He just kept tapping him. He kept coming straight toward this stud.”
But cops have ruled out that road rage sparked the crash.
Investigators were looking into the possibility that Unger’s erratic driving was the result of a medical gig.
Williams’ hubby, Elijah, said the driver looked more funked than injured as a group of onlookers, many of them in costume, embarked menacing him.
“People were attempting to get to him, screaming and yelling,” Elijah Williams said.
Three dead in horrific Halloween crash in Bronx – NY Daily News
10-year-old doll among three dead as car plows into trick-or-treaters in the Bronx
A Bronx street packed with Halloween trick-or-treaters turned into a real-life scene of horror Saturday when a car plowed into a group of costumed revelers — killing three people, including a 10-year-old damsel.
A cluster of adults and children carrying pumpkin-shaped buckets were strolling along Morris Park Ave. around Four:50 p.m. when an out-of-control Dodge Charger vaulted the sidewalk, authorities said.
The speeding car slammed directly into the group near Bogart Ave., leaving a trail of mangled bods packaged in crumpled, bloody costumes, witnesses said.
Kristian Leka, twenty four — who was watching his little sister Fiona, ten — was transported to Jacobi Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
“The dude in front of my feet, his figure was ripped in half. He was dead already,” said Kristina DeJesus, a hospital administrative assistant.
“There was a youthfull lady on the side of the car. She was like, ‘Can somebody help me?’ I was screaming at her, ‘Whatever you do, don’t stir!’
“I had no time to sob . to react,” she added. “My bod went into help mode.”
Louis Perez, a 65-year-old retired Army veteran, who was honored with a Purple Heart for his service in Vietnam, suffered severe head trauma and was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
“He was the greatest grandfather in the world. He picked up his granddaughters every day from school, he fed them and took care of them,” said his heartbroken wifey Miriam Perez. “He was so loved by them. They adored him. He will be sorely missed.”
His 10-year-old granddaughter Nyanna Aquil, who had dressed as a grey cat with a painted nose and whiskers, was rushed to Jacobi Hospital, but she could not be saved. She suffered internal bleeding and severe head trauma, her mourning mother Natalia Perez said.
Nyanna’s sister Yasmina, Three, suffered a non-life menacing neck injury, her relatives said.
“My daughter was the best daughter in the world. She never gave me any trouble. She loved to dance. She wished to be a dancer or a Disney starlet. She was a beautiful, beautiful dame,” said Natalia, 37.
A black Dodge sedan mounted the sidewalk and crashed through a fence, killing one.
“It was all because my dad dreamed to take my chicks for a 2nd round of trick-or-treating,” she added. “Isn’t that crazy? I had already taken the chicks earlier.”
Another daughter, 8-year-old Sanaya, was unharmed thanks to her grandfather’s bravery. “She says that her grandfather saved her, he shoved her out of the way,” Natalia said.
The decorated veteran’s wifey commended her hubby’s final act of courage.
A victim is taken away from the crash scene on a stretcher.
“He died attempting to save his granddaughters,” she said. “He was a hero then and a hero now.”
Kristian Leka, twenty four — who was watching his little sister Fiona, ten — was also transported to Jacobi Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Moments before the car barreled into them, Leka attempted to shove his sister to safety, witnesses and relatives said.
Moments before the car barreled into them, Leka (top) attempted to thrust his sister Fiona (l.) to safety, witnesses and his relatives said.
“The car came up very prompt and he shoved her out of the way,” Leka’s uncle Lulsh Kanaj, 64, told the Daily News at the hospital.
“He saved her. The car hit him and he went into the wall. His head was crushed. I don’t know what caused the driver to do this.”
Leka’s little sister suffered a violated arm, Kanaj said.
Another 21-year-old woman Greta Luka was injured, sources said.
Perez’s grief-stricken relatives rushed to Jacobi Medical Center
“He was taking her trick-or-treating,” Perez’s firefighter son, also named Louis, told The News. “He was a wonderful man.”
The junior Perez was overheard telling another firefighter, “I lost my niece.”
The driver — identified as Howard Unger, fifty two — was listed in serious but stable condition.
Unger was traveling west on Morris Park Ave. when his Dodge bumped the rear of a black Toyota Camry, authorities said.
The Dodge sideswiped a bus, “bears to the left and takes off,” a police source said.
It careened onto the sidewalk, went airborne and struck six pedestrians, sources said.
The Bronx crash scene at Morris Park Ave.
The car then smashed through a fence in front of a home, leaving it teetering on a brick wall
Witnesses said the Dodge had repeatedly bumped the back of the Toyota, making it show up as if it were intentional.
“It looked like it was road rage,” said witness Laurie Grey Williams. “I couldn’t figure out why he was hitting the back (of the car). He just kept tapping him. He kept coming straight toward this man.”
But cops have ruled out that road rage sparked the crash.
Investigators were looking into the possibility that Unger’s erratic driving was the result of a medical gig.
Williams’ hubby, Elijah, said the driver looked more funked than injured as a group of onlookers, many of them in costume, began menacing him.
“People were attempting to get to him, screaming and yelling,” Elijah Williams said.