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PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. - Pace University student Jonel Gonzalez is mourning the loss of seven of his family members who were killed Sunday when their SUV plunged 60 feet off the Bronx River Parkway and landed in the Bronx Zoo.
"The University community was sad to learn that a tragic car accident took the lives of Pace student Jonel Gonzalez's mother, sister, grandparents, aunt and two young cousins on the Bronx River Parkway this weekend," the university said in a statement. "Our hearts go out to Jonel during this difficult time."
According to the New York Daily News, the accident occurred at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday as the family was travelling south on the parkway. The SUV was reportedly in the left lane when it glanced off the median, drove across three lanes of traffic and went over the 4-foot-high iron guardrail and off the edge of the parkway.
To help Gonzalez and his family with the financial woes of preparing seven funerals, members of his fraternity, Lambda Upsilon Lambda, have started an online donation. Nearly $12,000 was been collected from 493 donors through the site as of Monday afternoon.
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