Fatal car accident in New York kills 1

Police are still in the process of investigating a fatal crash in the town of Moreau the morning of Oct. 30. New York State Police say the single-car accident claimed the life of one passenger and sent several other people to the hospital. For the moment, they have not filed charges against the driver involved in the accident. 

The accident report states that around 9:00 a.m., a vehicle being driven by an unknown person was traveling northbound when the driver reportedly fell asleep at the wheel. This caused the vehicle to leave the road on the left-hand side before re-entering the roadway. The vehicle then overturned multiple times before coming to rest. 

One of the passengers in the vehicle was apparently ejected from the vehicle. That individual, who also remains unknown at this time, was reported dead at the scene by the local coroner. The driver was treated at the scene and four other people were taken to a local hospital with minor injuries. One further individual was airlifted to a different hospital with injuries described as non life-threatening. 

New York police have not released the names of the individuals involved in the car accident pending notification of their families. It is possible the driver could face charges of negligence, but even if no criminal charges are filed, the family of the deceased passenger and all injured parties are entitled under state law to file wrongful death and/or personal injury lawsuits against the driver. These suits, handled in civil court, make use of police evidence to back up their claims. 

Source: WNYT.com, “New York State Police investigating fatal accident in Moreau“, Oct. 30, 2016