THE BRONX — Three men in a pick-up truck were killed and five others injured Tuesday in a four-vehicle collision on the Cross Bronx Expressway, according to officials.
Two tractor trailers, a Toyota Corolla and a Ford pick-up truck crashed on the northbound Cross Bronx Expressway between Jerome and Webster avenues at roughly 5:45 a.m., according to the NYPD.
One of the tractor trailers was stopped in the middle lane, when the pick-up truck stopped immediately behind it, officials said. There was a second 18-wheeler traveling in the same direction behind the two vehicles, which failed to stop, hitting the pick-up truck and the Corolla. The Corolla got lodged on top of the median and the pick-up truck got wedged underneath the second tractor trailer, according to Steven D'Ulisse, the commanding officer of the NYPD's Highway District.
The three men, who were in the truck with two others, were pronounced dead at the scene, police said. Two other men were taken to St. Barnabas Hospital in serious condition.
Three other people — one in the Corolla and two from the second tractor trailer — were taken to St. Barnabas Hospital, according to authorities.
It was unknown what their injuries were and there was no immediate information about who the deceased people were, police said.
No criminal charges had been filed as of Tuesday afternoon.
" It is very preliminary at this time of what the cause of the accident is," D'Ulisse said. "At this point, all drivers appear to have clean driver records and licenses. Both tractor trailer drivers were tested for alcohol. At this time, there was no evidence of any type of alcohol. We are currently in the process of notifying the families of the deceased."
The accident left traffic backed up on the George Washington Bridge, the Trans-Manhattan Expressway and the Cross Bronx Expressway in both directions, according to officials.
