2 dead in New York car accident

A chain-reaction crash in North Bellmore left two people dead, according to local sources. New York police responded to the car accident that claimed the lives of a 45-year-old pedestrian and a 20-year-old driver on the night of Nov. 4. So far, police have not released the identity of the deceased pedestrian, pending notification of the next of kin.

According to the accident report, a 20-year-old driver was traveling westbound when he apparently rear-ended another vehicle, driven by a 26-year-old woman. This caused the second vehicle to spin out of control and strike a 45-year-old male pedestrian before striking several other cars. The 20-year-old driver was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.

The pedestrian was also reported dead, though it is unclear whether he died at the scene. The 26-year-old driver was taken to a local hospital with injuries described as critical but not life-threatening. It is unclear at this time whether anyone else was injured in the crash. The police investigation has yet to reveal what caused the initial driver to lose control of his vehicle.

New York police will continue to investigate the car accident to determine exactly what happened. As the driver was killed in the crash, no criminal charges are likely to be filed. However, the family of the pedestrian, as well as the injured driver, are both entitled to file wrongful death and/or personal injury suits against the driver’s estate and anyone else who had ownership interest in the vehicle involved in the crash. Police evidence can be used to bolster such suits in civil court.

Source: CBS New York, “Driver, Pedestrian Killed In Chain-Reaction Crash On Long Island“, Nov. 5, 2016