Passenger Thrown From Dirt Bike In Washington Heights Crash Dies In Hospital, Police Say

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, NY — The drivers of a dirt bike and an SUV that collided in Washington Heights, killing the passenger of the dirt bike, are facing charges for the fatal crash, police told Patch.

Orlando Santos, 24, was flung from the back of a dirt bike on the night of Sept. 22 when the bike was strick by an Acura SUV in the intersection of West 189th Street and Amsterdam Avenue, police said. Santos was found suffering severe injuries to the head and body and was rushed to Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, police said.

Santos, a resident of Bed-Stuy, died in the hospital on Sept. 25, police told Patch.

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Edwin Ortiz, 21, and Jessica Emory, 33, have both been charged in connection with the fatal crash.

Ortiz, the driver of the dirt bike, is facing charges of reckless endangerment, criminal possession of a controlled substance, reckless driving, leaving the scene of an accident and driving without a licence, police said. Emory, the driver of the SUV, is facing charges of driving while intoxicated, police said.

An NYPD investigation determined that Emory was traveling northbound on Amsterdam Avenue and attempting to make a left turn onto West 189th Street when she struck the dirt bike, police said. Ortiz and Santos were heading south on Amsterdam Avenue, police said. The dirt bike then struck an unoccupied vehicle where it came to a rest, police said. Ortiz attempted to flee the scene but was taken into custody, police said.

The NYPD did not confirm which driver was at fault for the collision, but did hit Ortiz with more serious charges including reckless endangerment and reckless driving. Emory, who was making a left turn on the two-way street while driving drunk and struck the bike, was only charged with driving while intoxicated.

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