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Car Flies off FDR Drive in Crash that Injures Eight

By DNAinfo Staff on July 16, 2011 9:39am  | Updated on July 16, 2011 11:30am

Eight were injured when a Land Rover flipped off the FDR Drive at 23rd Street on July 16, 2011
Eight were injured when a Land Rover flipped off the FDR Drive at 23rd Street on July 16, 2011
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DNAinfo/Justin Mermelstein

By Justin Mermelstein and Tom Liddy

DNAinfo

MURRAY HILL — A car catapulted off the FDR Drive early Saturday morning, landing on top of a taxi in a horrific crash that injured eight, authorities said.

The spectacular smashup unfolded near 23rd Street just after 3 a.m. when a Land Rover flew off the highway after being cut off, sources said.

The SUV struck a guard rail and plummeted to the roadway below, landing on top of a yellow cab.

Gwendaline London-Jones, a worker at nearby Asser Levy Pool, said that she had just stepped outside when the frightening crash occurred.

"[I] opened the door to go out and five seconds later, I saw an SUV flip over the FDR Drive onto a taxi," she said.

London-Jones called 911 and said that she saw "people trying to get people out of the car."

"Two [women] got out and one was hurt and didn't know what happened," she added. 

The three remaining victims had to be cut out of the car by rescue workers.

"The lady's leg was stuck in the car and she tried to get out," she said. "The driver looked seriously injured.

"It was a really chaotic moment."

Another witness, who did not want to be named, said that he was in his apartment nearby when he heard the crash.

"I looked and an SUV was on top of a taxi," he said.

The witness went downstairs with his wife to investigate and saw some of the victims from the Land Rover, many of whom were wearing bathing suits, standing on the side of the road in shock.

"I saw the young boy against the wall," he said. "He wasn't in pain. He was in shock."

The witness said that cops told him that the taxi had been waiting at a red light when it was flattened.

A total of eight people were injured, including two critically and two seriously, according to the FDNY. The other four had minor injuries.

All were taken to Bellevue Hospital and listed in stable condition.

Preliminary indications were that there was no criminality in the crash.