New York student killed in car accident

A student in Brooklyn was tragically run down by a vehicle in an event police are calling a hit-and-run, according to local news sources. The tragic car accident claimed the life of a 14-year-old boy, and the driver believed responsible apparently fled the scene. New York police have since tracked down the driver, and they are in the process of filing charges against her. 

The report says that the student was crossing a crosswalk with the light around 5 p.m. on the evening of Nov. 20 when the accident occurred. Sources say a 78-year-old woman was making a left-hand turn when she struck the boy. He suffered severe head and body trauma as a result of the impact and was later pronounced dead at the scene when medical personnel arrived. 

The woman apparently left the scene of the accident but was later apprehended by police and placed under arrest. She faces charges, including leaving the scene of an accident causing serious injury, though her representation maintains that she committed no crime. No trial date has yet been set in this tragic case, but New York authorities intend to follow through with pressing these charges in a criminal court setting. 

If the woman is found guilty of the charges brought against her in this car accident, she could face serious jail time. In addition, New York law allows the family of the deceased boy to file civil wrongful death charges against her as well. Any evidence presented in the criminal case can be used to bolster a civil charge, though the success of the wrongful death suit is not contingent upon a guilty verdict in the criminal case.

Source: NBC New York, “Brooklyn Tech Student, 14, Killed in Hit-and-Run Near Home“, Nov. 21, 2014