New York woman injured in car accident

An elderly woman crossing a street has been critically injured on the Upper East Side. New York authorities are still investigating the car accident that resulted in a 66-year-old woman being rushed to the hospital on the evening of Nov. 28. The driver has not been charged with a crime as of this report, but the police investigation is still underway. 

The report says the woman appeared to be in a crosswalk around 7 p.m. when a driver attempting to negotiate a left-hand turn struck her. The force of the impact forced the woman under the SUV, where she remained pinned despite the efforts of witnesses to free her. She was rushed to a local hospital with injuries to her face and hips. Her current condition appears to be critical. 

Police met with the driver, who stayed on the scene. They have begun scouring the area for evidence as well as any surveillance video they can find that might help determine how the accident occurred. There could still be criminal charges pursued against the driver, depending upon what evidence police are able to collect from the scene and from witnesses. 

New York law is stringent when it comes to the responsibility of drivers to maintain caution and to drive according to prevailing conditions. If the driver is found to have been driving recklessly or negligently, that individual might yet face criminal charges. Separately, the injured woman is entitled to file a personal injury suit against the driver involved in the car accident. Civil suits of this nature often use police evidence to argue for damages to be awarded by the court. 

Source: NBC New York, “Woman Struck by SUV, Critically Injured on Upper East Side: NYPD“, Ray Villeda, Nov. 29, 2016