A man has recently entered his plea in his criminal case. The man was accused of causing a fatal New York car accident in which one of his passengers was killed and another suffered a traumatic brain injury. He has pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated vehicular homicide as well as driving while intoxicated.
The accident occurred around 2:30 a.m. on Feb. 28, 2014, along I-95 north. When the vehicle approached Interstate 287 in White Plains, the defendant was allegedly traveling at speeds around 90 mph. The speed limit was 55 mph. The driver collided with a DOT truck that was parked in the median but had a lighted construction arrow to alert drivers to the truck’s presence.
When the defendant hit the DOT truck, his front-seat passenger was killed. His back-seat passenger survived the accident, but he suffered severe injuries including paralysis, a traumatic brain injury and memory loss. The accident caused the DOT truck to flip over, and the driver of that vehicle was injured as well. The extent of the driver’s injuries were not detailed, but it is noted that the individual had to undergo surgery.
The driver of the vehicle has pleaded guilty to his criminal charges, and he will be sentenced by a criminal court judge. Meanwhile, representatives of the three individuals who were injured may be able to seek some solace through taking civil action. The estate of the passenger who was killed could file a New York wrongful death suit against the driver. The passenger who suffered the traumatic brain injury as well as the driver of the DOT truck could file personal injury suits. These parties are entitled file their lawsuits in an effort to be compensated for damages appropriate to the specific situations of each party.
Source: cbs3springfield.com, “Connecticut man pleads guilty in fatal NY DWI crash”, April 15, 2015
