A stolen blue Chevy Malibu jumped the curb near Canal Street and Bowery in Manhattan’s Chinatown early Saturday morning, killing a cyclist and a woman sitting on a bench, according to the NYPD. Watch the footage here.
The victims have been identified as Kevin Scott Cruickshank, 55, a Chase Bank loan manager and avid cyclist, and May Kwok, 63, described by family as a “free spirit” known for her neighborhood walks.
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Surveillance footage shows the car speeding off the Manhattan Bridge around 7:30 a.m., ramming through a traffic median before striking both victims and slamming into an unoccupied NYPD van. Witnesses say the impact hurled the bench and debris across the street.
The driver, Autumn Donna Ascencio Romero, 23, and her passenger, Kennedy LaCraft, 22, attempted to flee but were stopped by bystanders and arrested a block away. Police confirmed drugs and alcohol were found in the car, which had been reported stolen from a Staten Island rental company.
Both women are in custody at Bellevue Hospital and face multiple charges, including unauthorized use of a vehicle. The investigation is ongoing, but Mayor Eric Adams cited excessive speed as a major factor, calling the incident another example of reckless driving plaguing the city.
“It is with a heavy heart that we confirm that dear friend, neighbor, loving son and husband Kevin Cruickshank has been killed,” a family spokeswoman wrote to NY Post.
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