A passenger in a car was killed and the driver...

A passenger in a car was killed and the driver critically injured when the vehicle crashed into a fire hydrant in midtown Manhattan early Tuesday morning, May 31, 2016. Credit: John Roca

A passenger in a car was killed and the driver critically injured when the vehicle crashed into a fire hydrant in midtown early Tuesday morning, police said. The driver of the 2004 Nissan Altima has been arrested and charged, cops said.

The crash happened around 4 a.m. on Sixth Avenue near 54th Street, according to the NYPD.

Juan Avila, the 33-year-old passenger, was rushed to Mount Sinai St. Luke’s Hospital where, police said, he was pronounced dead. Avila was from Jackson Heights, cops said.

Police identified Shiva Sharma, 32, as the driver. Sharma, from Wyandanch, was taken to Bellevue Hospital Center in critical but stable condition, according to police.

Cops said Sharma has been charged with vehicular manslaughter. He was driving north on Sixth Avenue when he lost control of the car, and drove onto the sidewalk, hitting the fire hydrant, police said.

The investigation is ongoing.

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