SCARSDALE, NY (March 19, 2023) — Five persons — four males and a female, ages 8 years old to 17 years old — were killed this morning when the vehicle they were traveling in crashed into a tree and bust into flames.
UPDATE: The five persons who were killed in the crash are all from Derby, Connecticut, and are identified as:
- Malik Smith, 16
- Anthony Billips Jr., 17
- Zahnyiah Cross, 12
- Shawnell Cross, 11
- Andrew Billips, 8
The vehicle was apparently being driven by a 16-year-old boy (Malik Smith) according to a Westchester County Police Department spokesperson.
A sixth person in the vehicle, a 9-year-old boy, was the only survivor. He was apparently riding in the rear hatchback/cargo area and escaped out the rear. The 9-year-old was taken by ambulance to Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla with non-life-threatening injuries.
Police narrative: a single-car crash occurred about 12:20 a.m. Sunday morning when a Nissan Rogue went off the Hutchinson River Parkway north of the Mamaroneck Road exit in Scarsdale, NY. The vehicle veered off the roadway, struck a tree and caught fire. The full circumstances of the crash remain under investigation by the Westchester County Police Accident Investigation Team and detectives from the General Investigations Unit.
The deceased are from the state of Connecticut. Notifications to family members are underway. It is not anticipated that the identities of the deceased will be released today.