Incident location, Long Island
What Happened
Two men were killed Saturday evening when a suspected drunk driver plowed into a crowded sidewalk in Manhattan, according to The New York Post. The victims were identified as Michael Saint-Hilaire, 35, a father of triplets who had just celebrated his birthday in February, and Jason Negron, 46, a doorman who had just finished his 4 p.m. shift.
Saint-Hilaire was waiting for his mother’s bus when the crash occurred at approximately 6 p.m., just seven minutes after texting with her at 5:53 p.m. “I’m here waiting for you,” Saint-Hilaire had written to his mother as she approached on the bus, his uncle Jonathan Saint-Hilaire told The Post. The crash also seriously injured three other pedestrians.
The alleged driver, Elvin Suarez of Morningside Heights, lived just two blocks from the crash scene and had known many of the victims for years, area residents said. Saint-Hilaire’s triplets, a daughter and two sons, are set to turn 2 next month. The young father worked in a hospital operating room and had attempted to join the NYPD about a year ago, though his grandmother had asked him not to pursue law enforcement out of concern for his safety.
Negron worked as a doorman at a West 110th Street building, where colleagues left flowers in the lobby with a note reading “Jason, you will be dearly missed. We love you.” Saint-Hilaire’s uncle described his nephew as exceptionally close to the family, saying “He was like my kid. I used to take him for weeks at a time, when he grew up, he would call me his brother.”
The uncle expressed anger at the suspected drunk driver, telling reporters “For a drunk person to come and take his whole life, it’s just not fair. Parents aren’t supposed to bury their kids.” Saint-Hilaire had sent his uncle a text message with praying hands emoji saying “Thank you” just Friday before the fatal crash.
Location & Road Context
The crash occurred in Morningside Heights, Manhattan, where Suarez lived just two blocks from the scene. The area is densely populated with frequent pedestrian traffic, particularly around bus stops where commuters wait for public transportation. Emergency personnel responded to treat the injured driver and transport the victims.
Broader Impact
The case highlights the devastating personal connections that can exist in drunk driving crashes, as the suspected driver had longtime relationships with multiple victims in the close-knit neighborhood. Saint-Hilaire’s grandmother, described as devastated by his death, had specifically worried about him joining law enforcement due to safety concerns, only to lose him as an innocent pedestrian waiting for family.