Two dead, seven injured as speeding driver crashes into New Orleans bike lane

Two people have been killed and seven others injured, three critically, after a speeding driver described by one witness as “blind drunk” swerved into a bike lane in New Orleans yesterday evening.

The incident happened at around 8pm on Esplanade Avenue a few hours after a major Mardi Gras parade had passed nearby, reports the New Orleans Advocate.

New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) confirmed that most of the victims were cyclists and that the driver of the vehicle involved had been arrested.

Eyewitness Frank Rourk told the newspaper that after the car crashed, the driver – who was shirtless – ran to a street corner and lay down, falling unconsciousness.

Mr Rourk, who was unaware at first that anyone had been hurt, and two other people managed to wake up the driver.

He told him: “I’m pretty sure you’re the guy who wrecked the car. You better go back there.”

In reply, the driver asked whether he had killed anyone, and also asked for his father – whom he said was a police officer – to be contacted.

Mr Rourk, who said the driver was aged in his 20s, said: “This guy was trashed — blind drunk If you talk to him in 24 hours, he’s not going to remember doing any of this.”

Another eyewitness, Dane Barrymore, described how the car – thought to be a black Chevrolet Camaro – passed him at an estimated speed of 80 miles an hour. He said that the driver veered into the bike lane to try and pass another vehicle.

“It just happened there were people there – bicyclists,” said Mr Barrymore who witnessed two women and one man getting struck.

He said that the driver then increased his speed to about 100 miles per hour before hitting another vehicle and spinning out of control.

Mr Barrymore, who said it was “definitely the worst accident I’ve seen,” tried to help the victims, but said it was immediately apparent that a man and woman had been killed.

City authorities confirmed that footage of the incident had been captured on at least three CCTV cameras.

NOPD confirmed that a suspect is in custody with Superintendent Shaun Ferguson saying: “We were able to apprehend the subject so quickly because citizens stopped this individual, because they thought they were helping someone who had just been involved in a one-car accident.”

Police subsequently confirmed that Tashonty Toney – whose 32nd birthday was yesterday – faces being charged with two counts of vehicular homicide, seven counts of vehicular negligent injuring, hit-and-run and reckless operation.

It was confirmed that his father is an NOPD police officer, but spokesman Andy Cunningham said that fact “does not change and will not impact our department’s investigation, which will be open and transparent.”