2 killed in car accident in New York; fetus also lost

A tragic accident claimed the lives of an Orthodox Jewish couple and their unborn child on Feb. 9, local sources have reported. New York authorities have arrested the driver believed to be responsible for the car accident in Brooklyn that killed the two passengers but left the cab driver relatively unscathed. The other driver is charged with manslaughter concerning the deaths of both passengers. 

According to the cab driver, he was transporting the couple through a Brooklyn neighborhood he knew quite well as he passed through the given intersection “four or five times a day.” He also testified on the stand that he had taken neither drugs nor alcohol the day of the crash. He said the headlights of the other vehicle were not visible before impact. 

The crash killed the 22-year-old couple in the back seat. The woman was in the last trimester of her pregnancy. The baby was initially rescued from the mother but later died as well. The trial of the 46-year-old driver is currently underway, though no verdict has yet been reached in this tragic case. 

If the driver is found guilty of manslaughter in connection with the New York car accident, he could be sentenced to prison. Separately, the surviving family of the deceased couple may also seek to use any evidence brought forward in the criminal trial to support any wrongful death lawsuits filed, should they choose to pursue them. These lawsuits are brought in civil court, are based upon evidence of negligence and do not require a criminal conviction in order to be successful. 

Source: New York Post, “Cabbie: I never saw killer BMW coming“, Josh Saul, Feb. 10, 2015