An off-duty officer was driving a black Lexus sedan when he crashed. Today, the vehicle is almost unrecognizable.

Investigators say at around 2:30 a.m. Saturday morning, he was heading northbound on the FDR Drive when he lost control. He crashed into the median near East 23rd Street and overturned his car.

Emergency crews rushed the 25 year old to the nearby Bellevue Hospital with severe head injuries, but the officer could not be saved.

The passengers, a woman and an off-duty firefighter, according to sources, were badly hurt. Both were ejected from the car during the crash and suffered significant injuries to their legs.

The woman passenger’s right foot was severed.

“I just thought it was, I thought it was an accident, but I didn’t think it was this terrifying," said one witness.

The driver and his passengers were all 25 years old. Investigators say he was driving fast.

"I think it's a pretty safe area.  Usually it’s pretty straight forward and people tend to drive safely in this area,” said one local. “I know they just did the road over here and repaved it, so I don't know what happened tonight."

There were no other vehicles involved in the deadly crash, but authorities say speed did play a role.