"I heard his engine running," Robert Miller, 44, of St. Augustine, Florida, told the Times-Picayune. "He was flying."
According to the New Orleans Police Department, the crash was reported around 9 p.m. During a media briefing New Orleans Police Superintendent Shaun Ferguson said five of the victims were taken to a hospital. The people struck, ranging in age from 28 to 65, included at least five people in a group of bicyclists, Ferguson said.
The driver, Tashonty Toney, 32, was arrested by New Orleans police, the department tweeted. Toney faces two counts of vehicular homicide, hit and run, and reckless operation, according to the tweet.
UPDATE: The #NOPD has arrested Tashonty Toney, 32.
— NOPD (@NOPDNews) March 3, 2019
CHARGES: (2) counts of vehicular homicide, (7) counts of vehicular negligent injury, hit and run, and reckless operation.
It is believed Toney was impaired at the time of the incident. https://t.co/LluWPnoCjp
Toney, who was driving a Camaro, sideswiped about two cars before rear-ending a white Jeep three cars ahead of him, Miller told the Times-Picayune. The Camaro then spun and came to a stop, the newspaper reported.
Horribly tragic scene here on Esplanade Avenue in New Orleans.
— Fletcher Mackel (@FletcherWDSU) March 3, 2019
2 people killed, 3 in critical condition and 2 more injured after a suspected drunk driver hit them.
The @NOPDNews says most, if not all injured were riding bikes.@wdsu pic.twitter.com/wAwHwoVi7b
Police said the two people killed were a 30-year-old man and a 30-year-old woman, WDSU reported. Their names have not been released, the television station reported.
Another city official said three of the victims were in critical condition when they were transported to the hospital, WDSU reported. One victim was treated at the scene, the television station reported.
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