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Two NYPD cops from the Bronx chased a stolen car into Manhattan — but then drove off after the vehicle crashed and erupted into flames, leaving the driver to die in the fire, law enforcement sources said.
The 50th Precinct cops never reported the deadly wreck to their supervisors — or even revealed that they were involved in the pursuit — and have since been suspended as the NYPD probes the alleged neglect of duty, sources said.
The incident began as the officers were patrolling the north Bronx just early Wednesday and spotted the 2025 Honda CRV – which was potentially taken as part of a stolen car ring.
They chased it on the southbound Henry Hudson Parkway into Inwood, with their emergency lights on for a portion of the pursuit, the sources said.
The male driver crashed near the Dyckman Street exit, slamming into a building and catching fire around 5 a.m., cops said.
Not long after, the officers approached the burning SUV, then drove off without attempting to help the driver or calling an ambulance, sources said.
The duo then returned to their Bronx precinct where they wrapped up their shift and signed off for the day, without reporting the fiery smash-up, the sources said.
The motorist was pronounced dead at the scene by EMS, cops said. He was burned beyond recognition and could not be identified a day later.
Both officers have since been suspended “pending review of the incident” by the department’s Force Investigation Division and the Attorney General’s Office, the NYPD said.
Video from the scene of the crash taken by a passerby shows the SUV left a mangled, charred wreck in the aftermath of the crash.
“Oh my f–king God! Yo, who’s that?” the filmer could be heard saying.
An officer told the cameraman to “back up,” according to the video. “It’s a crime scene,” the cop said.
The deadly crash came months after NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch announced a department-wide policy change, prohibiting cops from chasing drivers who speed away into traffic unless they’re wanted for the most serious and violent crimes.
The policy, enacted Feb. 1, bars cops from pursuing suspects for traffic infractions, violations or non-violent misdemeanors.
“The NYPD’s enforcement efforts must never put the public or the police at undue risk, and pursuits for violations and low-level crimes can be both potentially dangerous and unnecessary,” Tisch said in a statement at the time.
“The advanced tools of modern-day policing make it possible to apprehend criminals more safely and effectively than ever before, making many pursuits unnecessary.”
NYPD data show roughly 25% of nearly 2,300 vehicle pursuits last year resulted in a crash, property damage or physical harm.
Of those, 67% stemmed from a suspect fleeing a car stop by cops, data show.
