On an ordinary Friday night, a familiar gathering took a tragic turn on the Upper West Side. Longtime friends used this corner as a place to relax and enjoy each other’s company. However, on May 15, the night ended in tragedy as a speeding SUV crashed into a gathering.
Friends Jason Negron and Michael Saint-Hilaire were among those present that evening. They joked and shared cold cans of Coca-Cola, enjoying the company despite occasional cigarettes. The comfortable mid-60s temperature suggested a longer stay.
Michael, aged 35, rested on his motorcycle, while 46-year-old Jason stood nearby in his work attire. Their roots ran deep around 109th Street and Amsterdam Avenue. It was a place where Columbia University students mingled with elderly locals conversing in Spanish under the shade of trees.
As night fell and bars filled, the group noticed an old friend across the street. Michael and Jason moved to the cement median, located near a small garden filled with colorful flowers. They positioned themselves between bike and traffic lanes around 6 p.m.
Meanwhile, 61-year-old Elvin Suarez was speeding home in a black Mercedes-Benz SUV. Police reports indicate his vehicle grazed another SUV’s passenger side, causing him to accelerate.
A friend recalled Jason had taken his wife out for a birthday dinner just two days before the tragic event. Michael often crossed Central Park to visit friends in his childhood neighborhood.
This incident left a somber impact on a space once full of friendship and laughter.
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