A devastating accident has claimed the life of a 51-year-old man. The man was walking across the street when a 29-year-old male driver crashed into him. The driver reportedly fled the scene of the auto accident, but came back a short time afterward. As of the last report, the driver is being detained at a New York county jail.
The accident reportedly occurred in Staten Island when a man was attempting to cross the street to get to his place of employment. A driver of an SUV crashed into him as he was crossing the street. Upon impact, the man became airborne and was thrown a considerable distance. A nearby witness actually observed the man flying through the air. Reportedly, the driver did not stop and fled the scene.
A short time later, the driver arrived back to the scene and informed law enforcement that he was the one who hit the pedestrian. A breathalyzer test was conducted and the results indicated that he was just below the legal limit. He was charged with vehicular manslaughter and in an ironic twist, the driver is also a police officer himself.
An auto accident in New York that results in the untimely death of a loved one has likely put the family in emotional turmoil. Along with criminal charges, the driver of the SUV may find himself back in the courtroom for civil litigation initiated by the deceased victim’s family members. The surviving family may be able to recover damages through the civil court system based upon any potential evidence of negligence.
Source: nydailynews.com, NYPD cop Joseph McClean charged with DWI in off-duty crash that killed pedestrian, Rich Schapiro and Rocco Parascandola, Oct. 5, 2013
