A deadly crash in Manhattan’s Chinatown has left a community reeling and two women facing serious charges after a stolen car plowed into a pedestrian and a cyclist early Saturday morning.
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According to police, 23-year-old Autumn Donna Ascencio Romero of Staten Island and 22-year-old Kennedy LeCraft of Queens were in a blue Chevrolet Malibu—reported stolen after being overdue from a rental—when they sped off the Manhattan Bridge and lost control. The vehicle mounted a curb at the intersection of Canal and Bowery Streets, slamming into 63-year-old May Kwok, who was sitting on a bench, and 55-year-old cyclist Kevin Cruickshank. Both victims died at the scene.
Authorities say the car was carrying alcohol, drugs, and two illegal firearms. Surveillance footage shows the vehicle moving at a dangerously high speed just seconds before the fatal crash.
Romero, who was behind the wheel, has been charged with murder, aggravated vehicular homicide, manslaughter, criminal possession of a weapon, and more. She remains held without bail. LeCraft, the passenger, faces charges related to unauthorized vehicle use and weapons possession, with bail set at $150,000.
This isn’t Romero’s first brush with the law—records show she was previously charged in a Brooklyn hit-and-run just months earlier.
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The victims’ families are devastated. Cruickshank, a Chase Bank loan manager and passionate cycling advocate, was training for a charity ride. Kwok was known as a free spirit who often enjoyed quiet moments in the park.
Two women, aged 23 and 22, were arrested after speeding in a stolen blue Chevy Malibu across the Manhattan Bridge, plowing into a 63-year-old woman on a bench and a man on a bicycle, killing both victims. The car, which contained pills, marijuana, and alcohol, also collided with… pic.twitter.com/LCVVtPFBxk
