1 dead, 1 hurt in New York car accident

A pedestrian is dead and another suffered critical injuries following a tragic accident in Inwood the night of June 16, according to local sources. New York authorities responded to the pedestrian-car accident near the corner of 209th Street and Ninth Avenue. So far, no arrests have been made, and the name of the deceased is being withheld pending the notification of the family.

It appears the pedestrians were crossing the street at the time of the accident, though it was not made clear whether they were crossing against the light. The SUV that struck them apparently tried to stop but was unable to brake in time. Both individuals, a 24-year-old man and a 35-year-old man, were struck by the SUV and thrown into the eastbound lanes.

They were then struck by a second vehicle traveling the opposite direction. Both individuals sustained serious injuries to their heads and bodies and were rushed to a local hospital for treatment. The younger man was pronounced dead at the hospital later that day, while the older man remains in critical condition. Police have not filed charges against either driver at this time. 

In a case of pedestrian-car accident in which the fault clearly belongs to the driver of a car, criminal charges may be filed against that driver. In addition, an injured victim or the family of a deceased victim may also choose to file claims in a New York civil court against the negligent driver. In this case, until fault is determined, it remains unknown whether civil or criminal charges will be likely.

Source: 7online.com, “1 pedestrian dead in Inwood, 1 critically injured after car accident“, Dray Clark, June 17, 2015