New York police seek hit-and-run driver involved in car accident

Local police have released photos of a vehicle they believe was responsible for a serious chain-reaction crash in the Upper West Side around 4:30 p.m. on May 9. New York authorities have asked anyone who witnessed the car accident to contact them with details. For the moment, no charges have been filed as the hunt is on for the driver involved. 

According to the accident report, a vehicle with out-of-state plates rear-ended a taxi that had stopped to pick up a rider on Broadway. The force of the impact propelled the cab into a nearby halal cart, which then fell over into a truck. The driver of the car left the scene at high speed.

Several people were injured in the crash, including a 39-year-old woman who had part of her arm amputated. She was rushed to a local hospital for treatment. Three other people also sustained injuries, though theirs were reported as minor. Police have not yet caught up with the driver responsible for the crash, but when they do they expect to file criminal charges. 

At the very least, the driver responsible for this car accident will likely face charges of leaving the scene of an accident. New York police may also choose to file further criminal charges, depending on the outcome of their investigation. Finally, the injured parties (particularly the woman with the amputated arm) are entitled under state law to file personal injury suits against the driver in civil court, citing police evidence to support their claims. 

Source: New York Post, “NYPD searching for car that caused UWS chain-reaction crash“, Daniel Prendergast, May 10, 2016