Elderly man killed in New York car accident

An elderly man is dead following a pedestrian-related crash in Brooklyn, local police have reported. New York authorities responded to the car accident that killed an 82-year-old man just steps from his home. The driver believed responsible has not yet been formally charged, but police are still investigating the particulars of the crash.

According to the accident record, the man was crossing a street at approximately 7:15 p.m. when a vehicle operated by an as yet unidentified individual struck him head-on. The driver was employed by a taxi and livery company and was on-duty at the time of the crash. The vehicle involved was a company cab.

The accident victim suffered serious injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. The driver stayed and cooperated with police officers during their investigation. The road was not cleared for several hours, and witnesses reported damage to the front of the cab. Residents of the area have indicated that many drivers ignore established turning lanes, a move they say is responsible for a significant numbers of collisions in the area.

Should the New York police investigation determine the driver was one of those who was operating his vehicle in violation of applicable traffic laws, that driver could face formal criminal charges. Separately, the family of the man killed in the car accident will be entitled to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the driver and, most likely, the company that employs him. Even if no criminal charges are filed, a civil suit can be backed up by evidence uncovered in the police investigation.

Source: New York Daily News, “Livery car hits and kills elderly Brooklyn man: police“, Ross Keith and Ben Kochman, Oct. 24, 2015