Wrong-way crash on FDR Drive leaves 4 hurt, 1 critically

NEW YORK (WABC) -- The northbound lanes of the FDR Drive at 23rd Street have reopened after a wrong-way crash Thursday morning.

Just after 4 a.m. Thursday, a vehicle entered the northbound highway going south. It crashed head-on with two vehicles.

According to the New York City Police Department, four people were taken to Bellevue Hospital and Beth Israel Medical Center. The driver of the southbound car, a woman in her 30s, is critical. Her passenger's injuries were not life-threatening.

"The operator of the vehicle is in a medically induced coma. We will be in the process of seeking the appropriate warrants if you will to draw blood samples to see if intoxication was a factor in that accident," said NYPD Commissioner William Bratton. "There was a second passenger in the car we have talked with. The accident was very significant. It impacted traffic very significantly for much of the morning rush hour."

The other two cars did not have passengers. The drivers of those cars sustained non life-threatening injuries.

At this point, authorities believe the woman was confused and got on the highway in the wrong direction. No criminality is suspected.

Northbound traffic was backed up to Houston Street. Southbound lanes remained open throughout.