Wild chase on the UES ends in death

(Upper East Side-WABC, December 13, 2006) (WABC) -- A stolen delivery truck being pursued by a yellow taxi cab crashed into an Upper East Side restaurant this morning, killing the suspect behind the wheel.

Eyewitness News has learned the wild chase started when the pastry truck was stolen from a deliveryman at the intersection of East 74th Street and Lexington Avenue just before 3:15 a.m.

Authorities say two suspects yanked the stunned 44-year-old deliveryman out of his truck. One of the men got behind of the wheel of his vehicle and took off, while another followed in a dark sedan.

Then as they drove away, the stolen delivery truck sideswiped a yellow taxi cab at the intersection of East 74th Street and Madison.

According to the taxi driver, the truck fled the scene of that accident, and the outraged taxi driver took up pursuit.

"I was following him to get the license plate," the taxi driver said.

Apparently, as he attempted to flee the taxi cab, the driver of the stolen truck lost control while making a right turn near East 75th Street.

"He was driving zigzag, crazy," the taxi driver said.

Police say the delivery truck crashed into the Baraonda restaurant at 1439 Second Avenue, as the stunned restaurant manager watched in horror from a front table.

"I was at the table with a customer and I heard a car come out of control," said the manager, Romolo Algni.

He and the customer miraculously escaped injury.

"We are the lucky ones," Algni said.

However, officials say the force of the collision sent the suspect behind the wheel flying out of the truck. He was pronounced dead at New York Presbyterian Hospital.

The second suspect fled the scene in a dark sedan, and authorities were looking for him.

The taxi driver and the deliveryman of the truck, owned by Delights of Long Island City, were not hurt.

According to police the building housing the restaurant was briefly evacuated, but the residents were let back in. The restaurant sustained damage and will be closed for at least a week.

Get more News »

• Email
• Print
• Report a typo
•