Driver and Passenger Killed on Harlem River Drive
Two motorists were killed on Harlem River Drive early March 5, 2022, after police said driver Michel Hamilton lost control near the 125th Street exit and hit a center barrier.
What We Know
Two motorists were killed on Harlem River Drive shortly after midnight on March 5, 2022. The official crash record lists a southbound 2022 Honda sedan that was changing lanes and cites unsafe lane changing as a contributing factor. The Daily News, citing police, reported that driver Michel Hamilton, 37, of Washington Heights, lost control near the 125th Street exit while driving a black Honda Accord with passenger Norman Batiz, 47, of the Bronx. Police said Hamilton hit a center barrier. Responding officers found both men unconscious in the mangled car, and both were taken to Harlem Hospital, where they died.
What happened on Harlem River Drive
The crash happened on Harlem River Drive shortly after midnight on March 5, 2022. The official record lists a southbound sedan with two occupants, both of whom were killed.
The Daily News reported, citing police, that Michel Hamilton was driving a black Honda Accord south near the 125th Street exit when he lost control and hit a center barrier. Officers found Hamilton and passenger Norman Batiz unconscious in the mangled car.
The men who died
The official record identifies the people killed as the driver, a 37-year-old man, and the front-seat passenger, a 47-year-old man. The Daily News identified them as Michel Hamilton, 37, of Washington Heights, and Norman Batiz, 47, of the Bronx.
Hamilton’s aunt told the Daily News that he was a hard-working young man and said she had little information about the circumstances of the crash.
The vehicle and recorded movement
The official record lists a 2022 Honda sedan traveling south and changing lanes before the crash. The same record lists center-front impact and extensive damage, including demolished damage.
The Daily News described the car as a black Honda Accord.
What investigators recorded
The official crash record cites unsafe lane changing as a contributing factor. The Daily News reported that police were investigating the crash.
Both men were taken to Harlem Hospital
The Daily News reported that responding officers found both men unconscious and that emergency responders took them to Harlem Hospital, where they died.
Where
Harlem River Dr