The two young women accused of taking a reckless, high-speed drive over the Manhattan Bridge into Chinatown, stealing the lives of two New Yorkers who had no time to act in their horrific final moments, pleaded not guilty in the incident Wednesday.
Autumn Romero, 23, pleaded not guilty in Manhattan Supreme Court to second-degree murder and related charges handed up by a grand jury for the July 19 incident in Chinatown that claimed the lives of 63-year-old May Kwok as she sat on a bench at the intersection of Canal St. and Bowery and Kevin Cruickshank, 55, as he rode his bike on the sidewalk near the mouth of the bridge.
Kennedy Lecraft, 22, who was riding in the passenger seat, pleaded not guilty to criminal possession of a weapon and related counts.
Romero was behind the wheel of the stolen Chevrolet Malibu that Lecraft had originally rented, authorities say. She barreled over the bridge, driving 100 m.p.h., more than double the speed limit, before careening into Kwok and Cruickshank.
Theodore Parisienne / New York Daily News
A man and a woman were pronounced dead on scene after a blue Chevy Malibu sedan smashed into them after losing control in the Manhattan bound lanes of the Manhattan Bridge in Manhattan on Saturday July 19, 2025. (Theodore Parisienne / New York Daily News)
The driver hit Cruickshank first, throwing him off his bicycle and across the intersection. Kwok was then thrown from the bench, according to authorities, before Romero rammed into a parked NYPD auxiliary van.
Kwok and Cruickshank’s internal and external injuries were described as “devastating” in court records. Both were declared dead at the scene. In the wake of the incident, horrified eyewitnesses recalled seeing Kwok’s legs ripped from her body. The driver hit Cruickshank with such force that his bike was torn in half.
Lecraft and Romero brazenly tried to flee the scene after searching through the trunk of the car, prosecutors allege. Passersby tried to stop them, but they refused, making way toward Hester and Elizabeth Sts., before cops were tipped off to their location, court papers detail.
Authorities recovered a bottle of alcohol and two operable firearms with ammunition in a shoebox in the vehicle, according to court docs.
“Kevin Cruickshank and May Kwok were simply enjoying their mornings outside when Autumn Romero and Kennedy Lecraft allegedly crashed into them at a high speed, tragically ending their lives,” District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement.
“Safety on our streets is an essential component of public safety, and we will hold people who commit harm with their vehicles accountable. My heart goes out to the loved ones of Ms. Kwok and Mr. Cruickshank, and my office will pursue justice for them.”
As of June 30, 89 New Yorkers had been killed in traffic incidents in 2025, including 52 pedestrians and seven cyclists, according to city data.
Romero, of Staten Island, is accused of second-degree murder, aggravated vehicular homicide, vehicular manslaughter, and a litany of other crimes, including leaving the scene of an incident without calling the cops. She was remanded after her July arrest and is being held at the Rose M. Singer facility on Rikers Island.
Lecraft, of Queens, is charged with criminal possession of a weapon, criminal possession of stolen property, and unauthorized use of a vehicle. She is awaiting trial outside of jail after posting bond, which a judge set at $150,000 cash or $300,000 bond last month.
Lawyers for both women could not immediately be reached for comment.
Originally Published: August 6, 2025 at 2:53 PM EDT
