Driver charged in New York car accident

Two pedestrians were injured in a vehicle crash on Sunrise Highway the afternoon of Aug. 6, authorities have reported. New York State Police arrested a driver who was apparently high on drugs at the time of the car accident. Thankfully, both injured individuals are expected to pull through. 

The accident report states that an East Hampton couple had stopped on the shoulder of the eastbound lane of Sunrise Highway around 11:30 a.m., reportedly to record a video of a small brushfire. At this point, a 20-year-old woman lost control of her vehicle. She skidded across the highway and struck both individuals head-on. 

The female pedestrian, 34, suffered leg and head injuries that were described as traumatic, but not life-threatening. She was airlifted to a local hospital. The 38-year-old man was rushed by ambulance to another hospital with injuries that were not specified in the report. The driver was also taken by ambulance to a hospital to undergo minor treatment before being released into police custody. She stands charged with DWAI and has since been arraigned. 

If New York police are able to prove the woman was high on drugs at the time of the car accident, there may be further charges pending against her. In addition, the injured couple are entitled under state law to file personal injury suits against the driver in a civil court setting. While a conviction is not required for a civil suit to be successful, the suit would make use of any evidence accrued against the driver in the course of the police investigation. 

Source: 27east.com, “UPDATE: East Hampton Couple Struck By Car Saturday On Sunrise Highway, Driver Charged With Driving On Drugs“, Michael Wright, Aug. 7, 2016