A chain-reaction car crash along Interstate 95 in Rye injured 16 people on Memorial Day, allegedly spurred by teen who led police on a wild chase at well over 120 mph.
The 15-year-old male reportedly fled from the NYPD’s 45th Precinct in the Throggs Neck section of the Bronx by heading north on I-95 shortly after 2 a.m. Monday morning. New York State Police troopers were notified by Westchester County police to be on the lookout for a 2002 Lexus GS300 vehicle traveling north on Interstate 95, Patch reported.
State police located two vehicles traveling at high speeds while waiting at Exit 17 in Larchmont, setting off a five-mile chase which saw troopers top out at up to 130 mph. State troopers eventually lost sight of the first vehicle, but followed the Lexus for the duration of the 3-minute chase.
The chase ended when a Rye police officer attempted to slow down traffic north of Exit 19, near Playland, in an effort to assist state troopers with the pursuit.
The Lexus then collided with three vehicles.
The teen driver and his four juvenile passengers were all taken to hospitals for neck and back pain, troopers said.
The three other vehicles involved in the pileup were a 2014 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van carrying two occupants, both of whom were taken to Westchester Medical Center; a 2022 BMW X5 with four occupants, including one minor, all of whom were transported to White Plains Hospital; and a 2023 Toyota RAV4 with five occupants, three of them minors, who were all taken to Westchester Medical Center.
All 16 individuals were treated and released shortly after the crash, authorities said.
The teen driver was arrested and faces several charges, including reckless endangerment, 15 counts of assault, three counts of criminal mischief, reckless driving, and unlawfully fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle.
State police continue to investigate the incident.
