DeWitt Kia Crash Kills Bronx Man, 26, and Syracuse Woman, 21, on Franklin Park Drive

A 2026 Kia sedan registered in the Bronx smashed into a tree early Wednesday in the Franklin Park neighborhood of DeWitt, New York, killing both people inside. DeWitt police have identified the victims as 26-year-old Quavan U. Maupin of the Bronx and 21-year-old Jamilka A. Cirino of Syracuse, and as of Thursday morning investigators still had not determined how the crash happened.

According to Fox23, an officer heard a loud crash around 12:12 a.m. in the neighborhood and found the Kia wrapped around a tree on Franklin Park Drive, the only vehicle at the scene. Police say the car had been traveling north on Franklin Park Drive when it crossed the center line just north of St. Paul Drive, left the road's west shoulder, and struck the tree, destroying the vehicle. DeWitt Police Department located the wreck directly in front of a residential property at 100 Franklin Park Drive, between St. Paul Drive and Deerfield Road, according to the department.

Jerry Pace, speaking for investigators, said there has been no determination yet as to the circumstances leading up to or the contributing factors of the crash, per the same account. Franklin Park Drive was closed for hours while crews worked the scene, and the crash reconstruction is now being handled jointly by the DeWitt and Manlius Accident Investigation Team, a specialized multi-departmental unit that analyzes severe traffic collisions in eastern Onondaga County, according to the DeWitt Police Department.

Police Seek Doorbell Footage as Questions Remain

Investigators have asked anyone with surveillance or doorbell camera footage of the crash, or of the vehicle beforehand, to come forward. DeWitt police are asking anyone with information to reach out by email at [email protected] or by phone at 315-449-3640. What caused the Kia to leave its lane, whether any requested footage has surfaced, and whether toxicology or mechanical findings will factor into the investigation all remain open questions.

Franklin Park Drive is a county-maintained roadway within the Town of DeWitt that carries an East Syracuse mailing address, according to the Town of DeWitt. State transportation environmental reviews have described the street as a local residential bypass connecting Kirkville Road to commercial hotel complexes near Carrier Circle, noting that residents have previously voiced concerns about cut-through traffic in the area.

Neighborhood Sits Near a Regional Crash Hotspot

The Franklin Park neighborhood sits adjacent to Carrier Circle, which a study cited by Harding Mazzotti, LLP identified as the highest-volume crash interchange in Onondaga County, logging 187 collisions over a three-year period. More broadly, Onondaga County averages roughly five traffic fatalities, 35 collision-related hospitalizations, and 375 emergency room visits every month, per figures reported by the Dietrich Law Firm.

Traffic deaths across the Syracuse and Onondaga County area have climbed 34% since 2007, a trend that pushed local transportation planners to adopt a Vision Zero Action Plan in 2025 aiming to cut fatal collisions 35% by 2035, according to the City of Syracuse. The DeWitt Police Department, led by Chief Shane Spencer and based out of its headquarters at 5400 Butternut Drive in East Syracuse, is continuing to lead the investigation into Wednesday's crash outside of state police highway patrol zones.

Public tributes posted on social media following the crash described the two victims as military training “battle buddies,” with community members and fellow service members sharing condolences online as police continued working to establish what led to the collision. The Onondaga County Sheriff's Office separately runs a program called STOPPED, which lets parents voluntarily register vehicles driven by drivers under 21 to receive alerts if the vehicle is involved in a traffic stop or incident, part of broader local efforts aimed at younger drivers who statistically face higher crash risks.