As most New Yorkers will acknowledge, drunk driving can be dangerous. A recent fatal accident on the Cross Bronx Expressway shows that drunk driving can be especially hazardous if the vehicle is a semi-trailer truck.
At about 2:30 a.m. on Monday, March 27, a semi-trailer truck was heading west near the George Washington Bridge. According to police investigators, the truck slammed into a 1997 Toyota sedan that was carrying a driver and two passengers. The driver of the Toyota was pronounced dead at the scene, and the two passengers were taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition. The remains of the Toyota were almost unrecognizable.
The driver of the big rig immediately left the scene after the collision. Port Authority and New Jersey Police found the driver at the Vince Lombardi Rest Stop in Ridgefield, NJ. Police allege that the driver smelled of alcohol. A breathalyzer test allegedly measured his blood alcohol content as being above the limit that defines driving while intoxicated. The driver has been charged with numerous alcohol-related violations in New Jersey, and charges in New York were pending. Because the accident caused a death and other injuries, the driver could be charged with vehicular manslaughter and aggravated assault, in addition to other crimes associated with drunk driving.
The driver’s employer said that he had an accident-free record prior to the accident, and the driver is entitled to be presumed innocent of all charges unless and until he is convicted beyond a reasonable doubt. Nevertheless, he is facing serious criminal charges, and he – and anyone else facing similar charges – may benefit from a consultation with a lawyer who handles drunk driving cases. An experienced lawyer can provide a helpful evaluation of the facts and evidence that will determine the outcome of the case and an estimate of the likelihood of obtaining a favorable plea negotiation or an outright acquittal.
Source: CBS New York, Truck Driver Was Drunk In Deadly Cross Bronx Expressway Crash
