Bronx, NY (August 8, 2026) – A three-vehicle chain-reaction crash on the Major Deegan Expressway sent a Kia SUV over a railing and left two people hospitalized in the Mott Haven area of the Bronx early Saturday morning, police say.
The crash occurred around 1:30 a.m. on August 8 as all three vehicles traveled southbound on the expressway. According to police, a Kia Sorento traveling in the right lane attempted to change lanes and struck a BMW traveling in the middle lane. The impact caused the BMW to spin sideways. A Honda Accord traveling behind the BMW then struck the sideways vehicle.
The Kia then lost control, struck a railing, and went over the side of the expressway. Three women were inside the Kia. Two were taken to an area hospital with minor injuries. The third refused medical attention at the scene. The BMW driver was transported to Montefiore Medical Center as a precaution. Two occupants of the Honda refused medical attention.
Police say no criminality is suspected in the crash.
This is a developing story. Details may change as the investigation continues.
Car Accidents in the Bronx, New York
When a lane change sets off a chain-reaction collision on a highway, the driver who initiated the chain typically bears primary liability for the consequences, including damage to vehicles they never directly struck. Civil liability does not require a criminal charge. “No criminality suspected” reflects the absence of suspected impairment or intent, not the absence of negligence.
Steps that protect a claim after a crash like this:
- See a doctor today. Injuries sustained in highway crashes, including soft-tissue, neck, and back injuries, are often not fully apparent until 24 to 72 hours after impact. A prompt medical record connects the injury to the crash
- Do not speak to the other driver’s insurance company without first consulting an attorney
- Save all documentation from the scene, including any photographs of vehicle positions and damage, before anything is moved or cleaned
- Do not accept an early settlement offer. Initial offers are typically calculated before the full extent of an injury is known
What attorneys examine in a Major Deegan crash includes the event data recorders from all three vehicles, traffic camera footage from the expressway, eyewitness accounts of the lane change, and the positions of all vehicles after the crash. The Kia going over the railing documents the force of the sequence even when individual injuries are initially described as minor.
New York applies pure comparative fault. Each driver’s share of responsibility is assessed individually. A passenger injured in any of the three vehicles can pursue a claim regardless of how fault is allocated among the drivers.
This crash occurred on August 8, 2026. Under New York law, a personal injury claim must be filed within three years of the date of the crash (CPLR ยง 214). The filing deadline is August 8, 2029.
Contact Our Bronx Car Accident Attorneys
Two people went to the hospital from this crash, and a third was transported as a precaution. The full picture of what those injuries mean medically and financially takes time to develop, and an attorney can begin protecting your claim while that picture becomes clearer.
Frekhtman & Associates has 25 years of experience handling multi-vehicle highway crashes in the Bronx, and the firm’s Bronx car accident lawyers have a track record backed by more than $900 million recovered for injured New Yorkers. Event data and traffic cameras on the Major Deegan are preserved for a limited window, and acting early makes a difference in what evidence remains available.
There is no cost to start a conversation with us, and we collect no fee unless we recover for you.
Why Bronx families trust Frekhtman & Associates:
- $900M+ recovered for injured New York clients across more than 25 years of practice
- $69,225,000 auto accident jury verdict, one of the largest in New York State history
- Free 24/7 consultations, including home and hospital visits for clients unable to travel
- Personal callbacks from founding attorney Arkady Frekhtman
- Russian-language services available
- Zero fees unless we win your case
- Bronx office at 20 E 205th St, serving families across the borough
