Man charged with drunk driving in fatal car accident in New York

A real estate developer charged with drunk driving in a fatal crash on Aug. 30 is facing his criminal charges in court, according to local law enforcement. New York police arrested the man after the car accident that killed his passenger. He is also charged with other related infractions, though he has not yet been convicted of a crime related to this incident. 

According to police records, the man was reportedly drunk when he smashed his sports car into a telephone pole around 2 a.m. on the morning in question. It appears he was trying to transport his passenger home and had driven past the man’s driveway twice before striking the pole. The man reportedly drove away despite two of his tires being damaged, and he was apprehended by police a sort distance from the crash. 

Reportedly, the man’s blood was taken at a local hospital and is currently being analyzed for blood alcohol content. Reportedly, he was also seen throwing several items out of his vehicle as police approached. In addition to the drunk driving charge, the man was also cited for failing to wear corrective eyewear while behind the wheel. If convicted of the pending charges, he could face serious jail time, loss of license and fines. 

The tragedy of a fatal drunk driving car accident cannot be understated, considering that such accidents are easily avoidable. Prosecutors will now have the burden of actually proving the drunk driving charges in court and beyond a reasonable doubt. Separately, the family of the deceased man will be entitled under New York law to file a wrongful death suit against the driver, and the evidence from the criminal proceedings may be offered in civil court to back up their claim. 

Source: easthamptonstar.com, “N.Y.C. Developer Accused in Fatal Crash Appears in Court“, T.E. McMorrow, Sept. 4, 2015