Police said the impact launched the engine into the street and left debris scattered for blocks.
PHILADELPHIA, PA— A 32-year-old driver was killed early Friday when his SUV slammed into a utility pole and struck parked cars in the Torresdale section of Philadelphia, a violent wreck that police said sent the vehicle’s engine flying into the roadway and left a wide debris field.
The crash shut down a stretch of Frankford Avenue for hours and drew a heavy response from police, firefighters and utility crews after neighbors reported a strong odor of gas. Investigators said the driver appeared to be traveling at an extremely high speed before losing control. The Philadelphia Police Department’s Crash Investigation Unit began reviewing available video and examining the damaged poles and vehicles as officers tried to determine why the SUV was moving so fast and whether anything besides speed contributed.
Police said the wreck happened shortly before 1 a.m. on Frankford Avenue near Pearson Avenue, along the 9300 to 9400 block area in Torresdale, a Northeast Philadelphia neighborhood lined with homes and small businesses. Officers found a gray or silver 2024 Kia Telluride smashed into the roadside after it went airborne and hit a utility pole. The driver, identified as Ziyodillo Tursunpulatov, was trapped inside and pronounced dead at the scene, police said. A longtime police captain who spoke at the crash site, Christopher Bradshaw, said the destruction was unlike most scenes he has worked in, calling it the worst crash he had seen in more than two decades on the job.
Investigators said the Kia was traveling southbound when it struck a metal or steel utility pole with enough force to rip the front end apart. The SUV then hit at least one parked car, and police said it also struck additional parked vehicles before coming to a stop. Parts of the drivetrain and other components scattered across the street, and the engine ended up in the middle of the roadway, according to police and local reports from the scene. Bradshaw said the impact was so violent that the driver was thrown into the rear of the vehicle. Police said no other injuries were reported, and they did not immediately announce any citations or criminal charges connected to the crash.
Authorities said they were still piecing together what happened in the minutes before the wreck because, at least early in the investigation, they had no clear witnesses and no immediate surveillance video to explain the driver’s path. Officers focused on physical evidence, including the damaged poles, the final resting position of the Kia, and the pattern of debris and impact marks along the curb. Investigators also looked at the parked vehicles that were struck and at the surrounding roadway where the SUV lost control. Police did not say whether impairment was suspected, and they did not release information about whether the driver was wearing a seat belt. By late Friday, the cause remained under investigation.
The crash scene drew attention in the neighborhood because it happened along a stretch of Frankford Avenue that residents describe as a spot where drivers often move too fast, especially late at night. Dr. John Cacchio, who owns a building at the corner, said he has seen repeated crashes in the area and said a vehicle struck his building last year. Cacchio said drivers can struggle with a turn in the road and fail to slow down, leaving cars in yards or against buildings. “It’s a very dangerous spot,” he said at the scene, adding that he was saddened that someone died there.
Other neighbors echoed that concern as crews worked around the mangled SUV and the damaged poles. A resident, Mike Beck, said he worries because his son’s bus stop is nearby and he has seen other incidents that he believes were tied to speed. Another resident, Megan Toomey, said she and other neighbors have raised concerns with the city in the past and that the speeding makes the street feel unsafe for people who live and walk in the area. Residents said the crash reinforced their fear that a fast-moving vehicle could strike a person as easily as it struck the parked cars and poles.
Emergency crews cleared the roadway through the early morning as investigators documented the scene and tow operators hauled away the wrecked Kia and damaged vehicles. The closure affected traffic along Frankford Avenue, a busy corridor in Northeast Philadelphia that connects neighborhoods and commercial blocks. Police said the street reopened around 6 a.m. after crews removed debris and secured the area. Philadelphia Gas Works responded after a reported gas smell, and officials said it was not immediately clear whether the crash damaged any gas lines. The utility response added to the overnight disruption as crews checked for hazards while police worked to preserve evidence.
The investigation is being handled by the police department’s Crash Investigation Unit, which typically examines vehicle damage, road conditions, and any available footage from nearby businesses, homes, or passing vehicles. Investigators can also review information stored by newer vehicles, such as data related to speed and braking, though police did not say Friday what data they had recovered from the Kia. Police said they were still working to determine whether the driver attempted to brake before impact. Local television reports said video reviewed by journalists did not appear to show braking before the SUV went airborne, but police said they would rely on their own analysis as they document the evidence and consult experts if needed.
Officials have not released details about Tursunpulatov’s background or where he was headed. Police said the crash involved only his vehicle, and they did not identify another driver as a suspected participant in the events leading up to the wreck. Investigators continued to seek information from the public and to check for any cameras that may have recorded the SUV’s approach. Police said the case will remain open until investigators can explain how the driver lost control, confirm the sequence of impacts, and rule out other contributing factors beyond speed.
On Friday afternoon, the scene had been cleared, but the damaged poles, scuffed curb line and reports of destroyed parts in the roadway left residents talking about the force of the crash and the risk they say speeding brings to the corridor. Bradshaw’s description of the wreck as the worst he had seen underscored the severity. Investigators said their next steps include reviewing any newly located footage and completing a full reconstruction of the crash path, with findings expected after the unit finishes its analysis.
Author note: Last updated February 13, 2026.