5 injured, 1 critically in Belt Parkway crash; police believe drag racing to blame

The collision happened just before the Cross Bay Boulevard exit of the westbound Belt Parkway in Ozone Park early Monday morning
The collision happened just before the Cross Bay Boulevard exit of the westbound Belt Parkway in Ozone Park early Monday morning. Photo credit Eileen Lehpamer

NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) -- Five people were injured, one of them critically, in a fiery, four-car crash on the Belt Parkway in Queens on Monday morning that may have been caused by drag racing.

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Police believe at least two of the drivers involved were speeding, possibly drag racing, and struck the two other cars around 1:50 a.m. at Cohancy Street in Ozone Park.

Five people in the four cars were injured, including a man who was in critical condition.

Tom Kaminski
Photo credit Tom Kaminski

Police said the driver of one of the cars ran away after the crash, which left the vehicles scattered over the roadway.

The crash shut down the westbound lanes of the Belt Parkway right before the Cross Bay Boulevard exit. Traffic was backed up as drivers were forced off at North Conduit Avenue.

The smashed vehicles were being removed from the parkway after 7 a.m.

Tom Kaminski
Photo credit Tom Kaminski
Tom Kaminski
Photo credit Tom Kaminski
Featured Image Photo Credit: Eileen Lehpamer