2 dead following serious car accident in New York

Two people were killed and two more injured in a Hicksville crash, according to local sources. New York authorities have reported that the car accident, which initially ivolved two vehicles, happened sometime after 11 p.m. on Dec. 22. Homicide detectives are still investigating the cause of the accident. 

According to reports, a 26-year-old driver was leaving a parking lot in his vehicle when he was struck by a 17-year-old driver in another car. The force of the collision pushed one of the two vehicles into a third car, though the driver of that car was uninjured in the crash. The elder driver was ejected from his car and possibly struck by a fourth vehicle; he was pronounced dead at the scene by arriving medical personnel. 

His two passengers, who remain unidentified, were seriously hurt and rushed to a local hospital with undisclosed injuries. The driver of the other vehicle struck a tree and was also killed on impact. The police investigation into the accident, centering around which of the drivers may have been responsible for the crash, is ongoing at the time of this report. 

Should further investigation point to culpability on the part of either driver, no criminal charges will likely be filed as both drivers perished in the car accident. However, the families of the deceased, as well as the injured parties, will be entitled to file wrongful death and personal injury suits against the estate of whichever driver is found to be in the wrong, as well as any additional owners of the vehicle involved. It is possible that the evidence could suggest culpability on the part of both drivers. These cases would be handled in New York civil court setting as opposed to a criminal court. 

Source: CBS New York, “2 Dead, 2 Injured In Hicksville Crash“, Dec. 23, 2014