When a passenger of a negligent driver dies from injuries suffered in New York car accident, the driver might be held accountable in a civil court. However, if the driver that caused the accident was impaired at the time of the crash, criminal charges will likely also follow. A 45-year-old man from Long Island was recently arrested, and he now faces drunk driving charges.
Police allege the driver smashed into a parked vehicle in the early morning hours of a recent Monday. A homeowner reported coming out of his house before dawn to find a wrecked car pushed over the curb and onto the grass. He says the car belongs to the boyfriend of his daughter.
The driver allegedly failed to remain at the scene, and police officers found his vehicle a short distance away. The driver was located and arrested. Reportedly, the passenger that was in the car with him suffered critical injuries to which he or she later succumbed. It is not clear whether further charges are pending, nor was there any mention of when and how law enforcement determined the driver’s blood alcohol content.
A conviction on drunk driving charges in New York could have severe consequences. If the alleged drunk driver caused a fatality in a crash, retaining the services of a criminal defense attorney as soon as possible is crucial. Legal counsel can protect the rights of the defendant, and after examining the charges and scrutinizing the arrest procedures and methods used to measure the BAC, the lawyer can work on a defense strategy that might lead to the best possible outcome under the circumstances.
