Single-car accident kills 1, injures 1 in New York

Police are still trying to determine what happened on the early morning of Aug. 27 when a car crashed into a tree. New York authorities are investigating the car accident that claimed the life of a 29-year-old passenger and sent the driver to the hospital. Police believe alcohol may have played a role in the crash. 

According to the accident report, the driver, a 34-year-old man, was traveling through Broome County when the accident occurred. Details about the impact are limited at this time, but it has been confirmed that the man was negotiating a turn when the crash happened. The lone passenger, who was riding in the front seat of the vehicle, was pronounced dead at the scene by arriving medical personnel. 

The driver himself suffered injuries, including a broken arm and leg. He was taken to a local hospital for treatment. While details are still sparse, police have confirmed that the driver is believed to have been drunk at the time of the car accident. No charges have yet been filed against the man, but state troopers say that charges are pending. 

A drunk driving charge is a serious allegation, and if the man is found guilty, he could face serious criminal repercussions for his actions related to the car accident. New York law allows the family of the man’s deceased passenger to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the driver in a civil court setting. Criminal charges and/or convictions are not necessary for a civil suit to succeed on the strength of the evidence. Nevertheless, any conviction earned in criminal court may go a long ways toward establishing financial liability in civil court.

Source: poststar.com, “1 killed, 1 injured in 1-car crash on upstate New York road”, Aug. 28, 2015