NEW YORK, NY — A passenger was killed and the driver was arrested after a Tesla crashed into scaffolding in Midtown Manhattan early Wednesday, then kept going and struck more objects before coming to a stop. Police said the crash began just before 3 a.m. outside 315 Madison Ave.
The car continued east on East 42nd Street after the first impact. It hit a mailbox and an MTA bus stop pole before ending up at the intersection of Second Avenue. The passenger later died at a hospital, while the driver survived with injuries.
Passenger identified as Harlem mother Elise Suomi
Authorities later identified the passenger as 27-year-old Elise Suomi of Harlem. She was the mother of a 3-month-old baby, according to people who knew her and spoke about her on Wednesday.
Friends and neighbors described Suomi as a caring person with a warm personality. She was also training to become a home health aide, adding to the sense of loss among those mourning her death after the crash.
Driver injured and arrested on multiple charges
The driver was identified as 27-year-old Alejandra Paharsingh of Westbury, Connecticut. Police said she was taken to the hospital after the crash and was injured but stable.
Paharsingh was arrested on charges of vehicular manslaughter, leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death and driving while impaired. Police have not said anything further about what may have led to the collision, but the criminal charges indicate investigators believe impairment and the aftermath of the crash are central to the case.
Good Samaritan says he saw the Tesla lose control
Greg Huff, who was riding a Citi Bike, said he witnessed the Tesla lose control and then followed the scene as it unfolded. He described the car as moving at a high rate of speed and said it appeared badly damaged after the impacts.
Huff also said he saw what he considered unusual behavior from the driver before the crash, including the car’s hazard lights being on. His account added a witness perspective to the rapid sequence of events that began on Madison Avenue and ended several blocks away at Second Avenue.
The crash happened in the early-morning hours near East 42nd Street
The collision happened in the early hours of the morning in a busy Midtown area known for heavy traffic, office towers and constant street activity during the day. At the time of the crash, however, the block was largely empty, which can make high-speed movement and loss of control especially dangerous for pedestrians and workers nearby.
The Tesla first struck scaffolding outside a Manhattan building before continuing through the area. The sequence of impacts left damage not only at the first collision point but also along East 42nd Street, where the car hit other street fixtures before stopping.
Friends and family mourn a young mother’s death
People who knew Suomi said they were grieving the loss of a young mother whose life was still centered on raising her infant son and building a career in health care. Her death has drawn attention to the devastating toll the crash took on a family and a circle of friends who had known her since high school.
The women involved in the crash were friends from high school, according to those familiar with them. That connection has deepened the sorrow around the case, turning what might have been viewed as a routine traffic collision into a personal tragedy for people who had watched the two women grow up together.
