This March, a tragic accident occurred in New York City. An Orthodox man and wife, both 21-years-of-age, were in a taxi cab when they were reportedly struck by a 44-year-old man who was going almost twice the speed limit. The young woman involved in the accident was pregnant with a son. 
Tragically, the man, his wife and their unborn child all died as a result of the accident. The driver who hit their vehicle fled the scene of the crash but was subsequently identified and turned himself in.
Unfortunately, our New York City accident attorneys know that many hit-and-run drivers are not caught, leaving family members and car accident victims with no closure. In this case, the man was identified and faces life in prison but this is small consolation for the family members and community left behind as a result of the tragic deaths.
Hit and Run Accidents Have Serious Consequences
The accident that led to the death of the young family occurred when a 44-year-old man raced past a firetruck and numerous other cars going 70 miles per hour. He struck the taxi cab with the man and woman inside. The baby was delivered prematurely after the crash but he died the next day.
According to Fox News, the man who hit the taxi cab alleges that he was speeding because he was being pursued by a gunman who was trying to shoot him. He was driving a borrowed BMW and he claims that he kept going after hitting the taxi because he was afraid that he was going to be shot and killed. However, law enforcement indicated that there were no reports of any shots being fired and nothing to support the man’s story.
The man, who lived in Brooklyn with his mother, apparently left New York and went to Bethlehem Pennsylvania approximately 80 miles away. His friend in Pennsylvania got in touch with the police to negotiate the driver’s surrender. The driver will now stand trial for three counts of manslaughter.
The New York Post reports that the deceased couple’s Rabbi said the driver would never get what he deserved because he ended the life of an entire family.
Liability in Hit and Run Accidents
While nothing will ever make up for the death of the couple and their baby, the driver responsible in this case will hopefully at least be held accountable for his actions. In many cases, hit and run drivers are not identified and they are never made to pay for the losses they caused.
If you are involved in a hit-and-run accident, it is important to provide as much information as possible to law enforcement. If you are able to do so with the injuries you’ve sustained, you should try to pay attention to the color, make and model of the car that hit you. If you can get a license plate- even a partial one- that will help law enforcement to find the driver. Law enforcement officers and your attorney will also wish to speak with witnesses who may have seen the accident if anyone else was around.
Police will investigate hit-and-run accidents, especially when injury or death occurred, to try to find the driver. The public may also be asked to come forward if they saw anything. If the hit-and-run driver is identified, he can be charged with leaving the scene of the accident as well as with other potential crimes if his actions leading up to the accident were illegal.
You can also take civil legal action to hold the hit-and-run driver responsible for your losses. This is only possible, of course, if the driver is found. If he is never identified then you will be left to make a claim with your own insurer for compensation for losses. Your personal injury protection (PIP) will cover some costs and any uninsured motorist coverage available will kick in to pay additional monetary damages if applicable.
The Law Offices of Nicholas Rose, PLLC offers free consultations. Call 1-877-313-7673.
