For years, a group of friends found solace on a specific corner in the Upper West Side. Tragically, a night meant for relaxation ended with two fatalities as a speeding SUV surged into a crowd.
On Friday, May 15, Michael Saint-Hilaire and Jason Negron met friends on this familiar block. They shared laughs and Coca-Cola cans between smokes. The mild mid-60s temperature persuaded them to linger. Saint-Hilaire sat astride his motorcycle while Negron, still in his work attire, stood nearby.
The area, near 109th Street and Amsterdam Avenue, mixed Columbia University students with elderly men chatting in Spanish under tree shade. That night, as bars filled, the friends recognized an old acquaintance across the street. Saint-Hilaire, 35, and Negron, 46, walked over to greet their friend by a small garden adorned with purple and red flowers, positioning themselves between the bike and traffic lanes at around 6 p.m.
Meanwhile, two blocks away, Elvin Suarez, 61, was driving his black Mercedes-Benz SUV at high speed towards his home, according to police reports. Suarez’s vehicle clipped the passenger side of a white SUV, after which he allegedly accelerated further.
Just two days prior to the accident, Negron celebrated his wife’s birthday with dinner, friends shared. Saint-Hilaire frequently crossed Central Park to visit the neighborhood of his upbringing.
Leave a Reply