12-12-15 FATAL MOTOR VEHICLE COLLISION (UPDATED)

On Saturday, December 12th 2015 at 0202hrs, the Palisades Interstate Parkway Police Department received a report of an overturned auto along the northbound lanes in the Englewood Cliffs NJ Section.  The scene was located approximately 1000 feet north of the Sunoco gas station.  First arriving officers found a heavily damaged 1998 BMW overturned just beyond the guardrail.  Three (3) victims were located and officers immediately requested several ambulances, paramedics and rescue for trapped victims.

The rear seat passenger was found incoherent and ambulatory outside the vehicle.  Inside the vehicle officers discovered a deceased front male passenger and a heavily trapped and severely injured driver.  Englewood Cliffs Fire Department, Fort Lee EMS, Englewood Hospital BLS and Paramedics responded.  Crews worked for over an hour and fourty (1:40) to remove the driver who’s legs were engagled under the dashboard.  Both the rear passenger and upon removal the driver, were both transported on Hackensack University Medical Center in critical condition.

Preliminary investigation shows that the BMW was driving in the northbound lanes prior to the collision.  The BMW struck the left side rumble strip and then the operator appears to have been unable to regain control of the car before it entered the right shoulder.  Once on the right shoulder, the vehicle’s driver side struck a guardrail and tree causing the BMW to overturn striking another tree via the roof.  The vehicle then came to an inverted rest.

At the time of this release, identities cannot be release due to notifications.  This is still an ongoing investigation as other factors remain undetermined in this collision.

12-13-15 UPDATE:

As of 1900hrs on December 13th, 2015 there are no investigatory updates however the identities of the occupants are as follows:

Driver: Asani R. Phoenix, a 27 year old male from New York NY.

Deceased front passenger: Michael A. Dunstan III, a 23 year old male from Brooklyn NY.

Rear Passenger: Daquan A. Haywood, a 24 year old male from Brooklyn NY. (Corrected 12-14-15).

Both the surviving occupants are still in critical condition and the investigation will be prolonged.

12-31-15 UPDATE:

The driver, Mr. Asani R. Phoenix, died last evening from injuries sustained in this collision.  Mr. Phoenix remained paralyzed in a coma since the incident and never regained consciousness.  The investigation is still ongoing however preliminiary results show that the operator had indications of marijuana and valium in his system at the time of the crash.  Reconstruction is still ongoing to determine the cause.  The surviving occupant, Mr. Daquan Haywood is in conscious and stable condition.