A driver is dead and three other people have been hospitalized following a serious crash in Nassau, according to local sources. The single-car accident resulted in the death of the driver on the night of May 8. For the moment, New York police are continuing their investigation into the cause of the tragic crash.
Details about the accident are incomplete as of this report, but it has been confirmed that for reasons unknown, the 20-year-old driver appeared to lose control of his vehicle around 9:52 p.m., causing the car to leave the road. The car then struck a tree with enough force to almost totally destroy the car. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene when medical personnel arrived at the site of the crash.
Three passengers in the vehicle were extracted and rushed to local hospitals for “trauma services” suggesting they were all seriously injured. The exact nature of their injuries has not yet been made public by authorities. Police have also not commented on what they believe may have caused the accident, though it appears they have not yet ruled out negligence, recklessness or even intoxication. Their investigation is ongoing at this time.
If the New York police investigation turns up evidence suggesting the driver was responsible for the car accident in a meaningful way (e.g. if he was intoxicated at the time of the crash), the injured parties may have legal recourse available to them. While no criminal charge is filed posthumously, the injured parties could file personal injury lawsuits in civil court. These suits would be directed against the driver’s estate and anyone with ownership interest in the vehicle involved in the crash.
Source: Five Towns, NY Patch, “Driver Killed, 3 Hospitalized in Nassau Car Crash“, Priscila Korb, May 9, 2016