Police Investigate Crash On I-95 That Killed 3 Generations Of Women From NYC Family
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Three generations of women from a New York City family were killed on the interstate in North Carolina as they were coming home from a vacation in Disney World.
The wreck happened Saturday evening on I-95 in Wilson, North Carolina just outside of Raleigh.
State troopers say the family from Washington Heights was driving north when their SUV blew a tire causing the vehicle to lose control and flip over.
The driver, 22-year-old Rosanny Marte, her mother, 46-year-old Angela Marte and grandmother, 71-year-old Rosa Marte, all died.
"I went pale. I was very nauseous. I wanted to vomit. Told my wife 'just go sit down, very bad news'," said family friend John Mado.
Roseanny's friends describe her as a kind woman who wanted to serve her community.
"One of the last images we saw was the car overturned and her glasses which we knew was her," Mado cried. "Loving fun, good personality, she was fun to hang out with, that's how I'm going to cherish."
"It's a shame. I hope they had a beautiful time and God bless them," said neighbor Julio Jimenez.
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Police say the mother and grandmother were not wearing seatbelts and were thrown from the SUV on impact.
Reyes Marte and five other family members including three children survived the deadly crash and were taken to a local hospital.
Residents of the building say Reyes is a longtime and well-loved super. They can't believe this sort of tragedy would hit this close knit family.
The crash caused an hours-long traffic backup that closed a stretch of I-95 for miles.
Some witnesses to the crash say the SUV was speeding and swerving over the road, but driver Lawrence Solomon was two car lengths behind and says it was definitely a blown out tire.
"As soon as that tire hit the grass on the median, it started to flip over," said Solomon. "The people out there were trying to get the children to lay still. They were trying to get everybody to lay still."
Reyes Marte was released from the hospital. There was no word Sunday on the condition of the children involved in the crash.
Police are still investigating.
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