'These young men were beloved students.' 5 people, including 4 teens, killed in two-car Yonkers crash

Police say the crash happened around 10 p.m. on Riverdale Avenue and Culver Street.

News 12 Staff

Dec 24, 2020, 3:18 AM

Updated 1,462 days ago

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Five people died in a two-car crash in Yonkers on Tuesday.
Officials say officers spotted Devon Haywood, 36, of Mount Vernon, driving erratically on South Broadway and Prospect Street around 9:23 p.m. and tried to pull the 2009 Infiniti sedan over. Instead, they say Haywood sped off and ended with the devastating crash on Riverdale Avenue and Culver Street.
Security footage shows the moment of impact and damage afterward – splitting the victim’s 2006 Nissan sedan in half, ejecting all four people in the car.
Four 18-year-olds from Yonkers were in the car turning right on Riverdale Avenue from Culver Street when it was struck. Their names are Brandon Sierra, Randy Brisbane, Tamari Watkins, and Anthony Cruz.
All four died at the scene while Haywood died at the hospital.
Yonkers police say officers were not engaged in a high-speed pursuit and that, in this case, disengaged in hope of “avoiding this exact type of outcome.”  
They say their officers were “approximately 15-seconds behind and not in emergency mode.” They add that Haywood had a history of reckless driving.
This is now one of the deadliest crashes ever in Westchester. 
Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano says the accident was nothing short of tragic and to view the situation as a lesson to all who drive at excessive speeds. He also shared his deepest condolences and prayers to the families of the deceased.
Anthony Molina, a friend of one of the four victims, says erratic driving happens often. “It's frequent, car accidents and speeding and it's just something that at this point, enough is enough,” says Molina. “How many lives have to be ended to realize that you gotta do the right thing when it comes to the road?"
Yonkers Public Schools issued a statement regarding the accident saying in part, “This unthinkable tragedy, the loss of four young people with their lives ahead of them, breaks our hearts…These young men were beloved students."
The four young men graduated this past spring - three from Saunders High School, another from Riverside High School.
A vigil was held for the victims at the Riverdale Community Center.