Whitestone, NY (September 5, 2026) – A 19-year-old passenger suffered critical head injuries after being ejected from an overturned car during a multi-vehicle crash on the Cross Island Parkway in Queens, according to the NYPD.
Police said the crash happened around 9:15 p.m. near the Whitestone Bridge approach on September 5. A 19-year-old man driving a 2020 Toyota Camry was traveling northbound and attempted to merge from the left lane into the middle lane. Investigators said he failed to navigate the roadway and rear-ended a 2008 Honda Accord ahead of him. The Camry then overturned.
Two passengers in the Camry, a 16-year-old boy and a 19-year-old man, were ejected onto the roadway, police said. The 19-year-old was rushed to NewYork-Presbyterian Queens in critical condition. The 16-year-old suffered minor injuries and was also taken to NewYork-Presbyterian Queens, where he was listed in stable condition.
The Camry’s driver and an 18-year-old passenger were transported to Jacobi Hospital with minor injuries and were listed in stable condition. The 42-year-old driver of the Honda Accord was also taken to Jacobi with minor injuries. A 36-year-old woman riding in the Accord was not hurt, police said.
Emergency officials closed the southbound lanes of the parkway approaching the Whitestone Bridge and later closed the northbound lanes as well while crews worked the scene. No arrests have been made. The NYPD’s Collision Investigation Squad is investigating.
Car Accidents in Queens, New York
A rear-end collision during a lane change often points toward driver error, but a formal fault finding in New York takes time and can shift once investigators review skid marks, vehicle data, and any available dashcam footage.
- See a doctor right away, even if injuries seem minor at first. Head injuries and internal trauma from an ejection can worsen over hours or days.
- Do not give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurance company before speaking with an attorney.
- Preserve evidence now, including vehicle damage photos, the police report number, dashcam footage from either car, and contact information for anyone who saw the crash.
- Do not sign any settlement offer before an attorney has reviewed the full extent of the injuries.
New York follows a pure comparative fault rule, so a driver or passenger found partly at fault can still recover damages reduced by that share. Under New York law, you generally have three years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury claim (CPLR § 214), which puts the deadline at September 5, 2029 for anyone hurt in this collision.
Contact Our Queens Car Accident Attorneys
A rollover that ejects a teenager from the car leaves a family camped out in a hospital waiting room, running through the same ten minutes over and over. Nobody should have to figure out what a critical head injury means for the months ahead while also fighting an insurance company.
Our Queens car accident lawyers handle multi-vehicle crashes involving rollovers, ejections, and disputed lane-change fault, and have recovered more than $900 million for injured New Yorkers.
Both vehicles in this crash hold data that can help settle how it happened, so the cars and any nearby dashcam footage are worth preserving before repairs or insurance adjusters change the picture.
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