A scene of almost unimaginable carnage unfolded earlier this week in a Brooklyn Park Slope neighborhood. A 44-year-old woman driving a white Volvo plowed into a group of pedestrians in the crosswalk , fatally injuring a 1-year-old infant and a toddler, 4.
As reported by NBC, surveillance footage indicates that the Volvo driver initially stopped for the light. But then she slowly crept forward, avoiding pedestrians crossing near the sidewalk and a vehicle with the right-of-way. Suddenly, she accelerated and collided with the group in the intersection’s crosswalk.
The youngest victim was dragged in his stroller for well over 100 feet. Despite the resuscitative efforts of his injured mother and a passerby, he succumbed to his injuries.
The other fatality was the daughter of Ruthie Ann Blumenstein, the Hawaiian actress whose acting won her a coveted Tony award. She is also pregnant and is recovering at a local hospital, reportedly in stable condition.
In addition to the two mothers and children, a 46-year-old man was also injured.
Eyewitnesses said the car sped up in attempt to get through the light. Instead of stopping, the driver allegedly attempted to flee, but struck a parked vehicle, setting off a chain reaction that damaged multiple other cars.
Authorities released the driver without charging her with any offenses. Reportedly, she claimed to have suffered some type of medical issue right before the collision.
Regardless, the Staten Island driver received at least four separate citations in the past couple of years for running stop lights. In a tweet posted by Twitter user @ldquigley, the Volvo driver has been issued four citations for exceeding the speed limit in school zones and four for failing to stop at red lights. It’s unclear why, given such a poor driving record, the woman still had a valid driver’s license.
The driver may still be charged for those deaths, and also for the injuries suffered by the surviving victims. But in any event, it’s not necessary for a driver to face criminal charges in order for a victim to prevail in a personal injury lawsuit filed in the New York City civil court system.
Source: The Epoch Times, “Victims in New York Car Crash Identified, Driver Who Killed Them Gets Released,” Zachary Stieber, March 06, 2018
