3 injured following serious car accident in New York

Three people were seriously injured following a single-vehicle crash in Staten Island in the early morning of July 28, according to local law enforcement. New York authorities responded to the car accident, which totaled an SUV and left three people in severe condition. Police are continuing to investigate the accident, as there is suspicion that alcohol may have been involved.

According to the accident report, the SUV was traveling along Richmond Avenue at around 3 a.m. when the crash happened. It is unclear how fast the driver was traveling when the SUV struck a curb and was launched into the air, came crashing down on its front end and was propped against a tree. First responders arrived quickly to assess the situation.

Three people were pulled from the wreckage. The driver and front-seat passenger were seriously hurt and were rushed to a local hospital in critical condition. The back seat passenger was also injured but was listed as stable when taken to the same hospital. Police are not sure yet whether alcohol was a factor in the crash, but three bottles were discovered at the crash site, believed to have originated from within the vehicle. Toxicology samples will likely be taken from the driver to determine whether he was intoxicated at the time of the crash.

Regardless of whether alcohol was involved, New York police will continue to investigate the car accident to determine what caused the crash. If the driver is found to be in some way responsible either through intoxication, negligence or recklessness, he may be held criminally accountable. Additionally, his passengers will have the option of filing personal injury suits against him, though evidence of culpability will be necessary for him to be held accountable in civil court.

Source: New York Daily News, “1 dead, 3 injured in weekend vehicle crashes in Queens, Staten Island“, Joseph Stepansky, July 27, 2014